


The Bringer Of Light - A Tom Hiddleston AU Fan Fic

by Thephoenixalchemist



Category: Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Flying, Male-Female Friendship, On the Run, Other, Wings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2018-10-13 23:27:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 21,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10524144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thephoenixalchemist/pseuds/Thephoenixalchemist
Summary: When you’re in hospital for a cancer operation, life kinda seems depressing. It does also, when you realise you've been kidnapped after your operation, cured of any illness, and locked in a cage....waiting, and hoping for someone to rescue you.Three years of being in a small locked cell seems like a eternity. Until the creeps who took you, bring in another poor soul to be experimented on...and turned into a freak like the one that the scientists have just completed with you. Then you realise, you know this poor soul...Tom Hiddleston, is that you?Go on a journey of two people, Tom Hiddleston and yourself, as you are captured and experimented on with animal DNA......that's right folks; those creepy scientists gave you wings.But what they don't realise, is those wings were made to fly and soar above the clouds, not to be cramped in a cage!





	1. Chapter One - Cancer Sucks

Cancer sucks.

Yep, if you read the chapter title, you'd have guessed the topic of choice tonight. The incredibly horrible and sanitary life of a cancer patient. Cue the sad orchestra music.

I'm lying in my hospital bed, writing in this silly journal. My therapist thought it wise to write down my daily events. She thinks that I might find it stimulating, and might loosen me up to talking with a complete stranger, and might even help me get through this bit of a rough patch in my life...nope, double nope, and, oh lemme think...nope.

Hey, do you guys know the movie Van Helsing? It's on tonight, and I'm lovin' it. Vampires, werewolves, incredibly ripped Hugh Jackman.....what's not to love? Though, I wonder why a fantastic movie like that is on at eleven thirty on a Thursday night. Why do they have to schedule these operations so late at night? My mum's been up for forty eight hours straight signing fucking papers for my insurance and operation payments. 

She's asleep on the somewhat-uncomfortable chair next to me. It's getting chilly. I'll drape a blanket over her. Okay, where was I?

Right, operation expenses. What the actual fuck people? I've been sick with cancer for the past five years, and already have we probably spent millions of dollars just so that I can stay alive. Is that the price of living these days? What is money when it comes to people's lives, money is worthless. You can't eat cash, I'm pretty sure.

Yep, again, may I welcome you to my fairly depressing life? You're probably asking, why isn't a teen like me out with my friends, shopping with my mother, or making out with my boyfriend? Well firstly, you need to have friends to hang out with them. Secondly, you need you mother not to be a complete worry wart. Thirdly, yeah you guessed it, you need a boyfriend to make out with. Sorry ladies, but a picture of your favourite hot male celebrity doesn't count. Nor does mentally dating a celebrity, even if it's so secret they don't know about it. You've probably noticed I'm no optimist.

11:37. About three minutes til my operation. Well, hooray! (I hope that you noticed that was all sarcasm there.) Yeah, well, I'm not really excited. I'm pretty sure I don't want to be cut open. But it's for the greater good I suppose. The cancer won't go away. I can get it cut out. Chemo doesn't seem to be working. I lost my hair for nothing........well, thanks cancerous cells.

11:38. The doctor's will come in any moment to take me to the operating theatre. Should probably turn off the TV. Van Helsing credits rolling. Seriously good movie.

11:39. Well, ciao for now. Better wake mum up. She wants to watch me on the chopping table, but I told her that she didn't want to see me cut open, especially with her weak stomach.

Goodbye for now, and off I go. My life is about to be saved.

 

I put down the notepad and pencil on the table next to my bed, and adjust the black bandana on my head. Mum was snoring softly with the blanket I gave her that was on the foot of my bed. She's been through shitloads lately. Single mother, terminally sick kid, works eighteen hours a day just to keep up with the hospital bills....people think she's brave. She's desperate. We're behind on rent. There's no food in the fridge. Mum's lost twenty kilos the past five months. I'm worried out of my fucking mind for her. She's let her grey roots show from her hair. She dyes it deep brown, like the colour of my hair before I had kemo.

Knock Knock! There's the doctor. I lean over and shake Mum.

'Hey, Mum, it's time to slice and dice my cancerous cells.' I whisper quietly. Mum wakes abruptly with a loud snort. I stifle a laugh. 'Jeez, Mum, careful. Your throat won't like to tomorrow.'

The doctor opened the door and walked in. 'Hello, you ready for the operation?'

'Is anyone ever ready for an operation?' I asked bluntly as Mum folded the blanket and set it back down on my bed.

'I guess not.' The doctor smiled.

I saw Mum's eyes starting to fill with tears. I took her hand. 'Hey, don't worry. I'll be as fit as Arnold Swagger-whatever by the time I'm out of there.'

'I'm just worried.' Mum wiped her eyes away from her cheeks. I hugged her tightly, then I was wheeled off towards the operating theatre.

I was told to get off my bed and get onto the operating table as I saw surgeons have gloves put onto their hands by other surgeons. I saw the menacing silver tools that glinted in the florescent light. Well...this wasn't at all scary...

'Don't worry, just take deep breathes, and we'll see you very soon!' The surgeon said as he applied a mask over my mouth. Sleeping gas. Yay.

I felt myself drift away into sleep. I expected to be cured of cancer by the time I woke up. Mum would be so happy.

Though that was the last time I ever saw my mother for a very, very long time.


	2. Chapter Two - My Life As A Guinea Pig

I woke up shivering. Shit it was cold. Couldn't someone crank up the heater in here? I tried opening my eyes, but all I saw was black. I tried sitting up, but then I hit my head on something solid and also cold as I tried. I swore and held my forehead as I lay my hands in front of me and I touch a bar. A cold, solid bar. I ran my hands to my right and left. More bars. I was in a cage.

I flipped over onto my side. I winced as my stitches hurt. Stitches? So I did get the surgery.

I felt all around me. Yep, cage. I started to panic. Shit, where was I? Where was Mum? Oh, fucking Jesus, what the hell happened?

Suddenly there is a loud slam, and I am surrounded by light. I closed my eyes as the sudden light stung my eyes. I heard footsteps coming towards me. I squirmed into the furthest corner of my cage. I opened my eyes slowly to be confronted by a man, crouching down next to me. I was in a cage on the floor. He was looking at me with interest. He had a white lab coat on.

'Hello, little one!' The creepy whitecoat dude said, grinning widely. 'Welcome to your new home.'

'Who are you? Where is my Mum? Where have you taken me?!' My voice raised higher with every word I said. The whitecoat dude placed his index finger to his lips and shushed. 'It's okay now, Iggy, you'll be okay.'  
How did this creep know my name? 'Let me go now! I have no idea why I'm here, but I demand to be let go right now!' Sure, like he was going to listen to you.

The whitecoat creep shook his head, and looked over my shoulder. 'Give her another dose. She's too noisy. Not very co-operative. Let's try tomorrow.'

Suddenly there was a sharp prick in my thigh, where I was hunched up against the bars. I immediately screamed and scrambled from the bars, just to see another whitecoat dude with an empty syringe.

My head started becoming dizzy. 'Oh...shit.'

Then I blacked out.

~

'Oh, Iggy, wakey wakey. It's a new day.' I heard a voice say. I groaned loudly. My head was thumping like a drum. I tried to open my eyes, but the bright white lights hurt my eyes.

'Iggy, wake up now; it's time to talk.' I recognized that voice. Creepy whitecoat guy...shit, it wasn't a dream. I was still in the cold cage. I was still where I was.

'What...' I murmured as I tried to sit up, hitting my head on the top of the cage. 'Could've you at least gotten be a bigger cell?'

'Are you co-operative today? I would hope so, dear.'

'Don't call me "dear"! Only my Mum can call me that, and I'm sure as hell you’re not her!' I snarled.

The whitecoat dude tutted. 'You're vocabulary is incredibly lacking, Iggy.'

'How the fuck do you know who I am? Why the hell am I here?' I yelled. The whitecoat guy just shook his head.

'You are still not co-operative. How many times must we go through this?'

'What do you mean? You just got me here!' I cried.

'No, Iggy, we've had this same conversation at least fifteen times.' The whitecoat bloke said.

...wait, what?!

I tried to move, but then agonizing pain went through my body. I cried and lifted my hand to my back. I slid my hands under my shirt to feel...stitches. I pulled my hand back and I saw slick red blood.

'Oh, you've pulled your stitches. Too bad, we'll have to fix that.' Whitecoat guy said.

'Who...who are you?' I whimpered as the whitecoat guy came closer.

'My dear...I am your creator.' Whitecoat dude said, as he pulled out a syringe and started towards me.


	3. Chapter Three - A Sudden Development

Yeah, you can imagine that I went through hell. Oh wait, I'm still going through it. I had only one choice: to give up. I had to; they kept on drugging me. They still do. And I still wake up with stitches and scars all over my body. Especially my back for some reason. I still have no idea what they want. I don't think you can understand my pain, the agony I have felt.

Especially when I've gone through three years’ worth of operations and scars. Yep, they've had me captured for three years and counting.

You don't know how many times I've bitten the scientists that try to handle me when I'm awake. I'm proud of my current tally: 24.

'Ow, bitch!' one of the many scientists screamed. I smiled as I could taste the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. Bring it on bitch.

'What did she do this time?' one of his colleagues asked, armed with a scalpel. The bitten scientist held his hand tightly. 'The fucking bitch bit me!' He raised his unbitten hand in the air and backhanded me across the face, making my head snap to the left sharply. My hair covered my face like a curtain. Yep, three years after chemo, I now have my beautiful brown locks back. It was only around nearly shoulder length, but it was good to have my hair back.

'Hey, I'm just an animal, like you say every day.' I growled. The bitten scientist smiled. 'Well, you're going to get a surprise, dear one.'

'Oh yeah? Has the Easter Bunny come over for a visit?' I taunted, licking the blood off my lips. 'Or are you going to make a new incision in my perfect model-like body?'

'Oh my dear, if you only knew what we had in store for you.' I heard a familiar voice say behind me.

'Well, hello, mein creator. How do?' I did my best Jim Carrey "The Mask" imitation. "Creator" moved my hair from my face, and I looked at him. 'What have you got in store for me this time?'

'My dear, you are going to be one of the first evolved humans in the world.' Yeah, I'm sure, Crazy McFergerson.

'Oh really? Yay, the first real life in the flesh X-Men! What an honour!' I said happily.

'This is not a joke!' Head Whitecoat said. After all this time, I still didn't know his name. 'You will be one of many, one of an evolved race of human-avian hybrids.'

'Seriously, a human hybrid? Please, just shoot me now. Save me from all this horror!' I pretend to swoon, though i was tied to an operating table, so I could only move so much. 'But seriously, James Patterson might call you with a cease and desist from his lawyers about his. Copyright is such a fickle thing.'

Was this guy on drugs or something? He really needed a psych evaluation. I noticed this the day I met the creep. You may have also gotten this vibe as well.

'Look, Mr Creepy Freak-a-zoid, I have a tight schedule. I doubt I can fit your ever so important "human-hybrid" operation into all other appointments. I apologise most sincerely!' I made a taunting unhappy face that made the bitten scientist go red with rage.

'I do believe that this has nothing to do with your choice in the matter. See how far you have come, Iggy? You have survived all our tests on you, and that shows that you are strong enough to proceed and live through the operation that will transform you, my dear. Be grateful, only you and one other have survived this long.' What? He's been doing the same thing he has been doing to me to others as well? 'Though you will be unconscious for many a month, so that your incisions can heal properly and all nerves can connect.'

'Connect? What, you're putting something organic in me?!' My eyes went wide. What did this bloke want to do with me this time? What was he going to put in me?

'It will become a part of you. You will be able to move them independently, and you will soar.' Whitecoat "Creator" said.\

'Soar? What have you people been drinking?' I laugh. I saw the uninjured scientist fill the syringe with the ever so familiar sedative that they give me, so that I was "more co-operative." By more co-operative, I mean completely unconscious. I probably kick and bite in my sleep as well.

'Oh, my dear,' Sir Creepy Wackjob of the Whitecoats words were the only thing that I could hear, as the scientist plunged the syringe into my thigh and I started to fall unconscious.

'...We are giving you wings.'


	4. Chapter Four - An Unfortunate Newcomer

Light penetrated my eyes as I tried my best to open them. Shit, was the world this bright when I fell asleep? God, turn down the light, will ya?! Wait a second, was I on a hospital bed? Holy shit, was this all a dream? Mum, are you there?!

'Iggy...Iggy, wake up dear. Can you hear me?' I heard the voice of Wacko Whitecoat whispering in my ear...nope, not a dream. Just a very real nightmare.

'Unfortunately for me, yeah. Did you voice get more annoying from last time?' I groaned.

'Iggy, can you move your feet? Please, move them for me.'

'Fuck off, I'm tired.'

'Of course you're tired. You have been asleep in rehabilitation for six months, my dear.'

WHAT THE FUCK?! "What the actual flying fuck are you talking about?! Half a fucking year?! What were you doing to me?!' I screamed, then immediately regretted it. Screaming made me tence my back muscles, and hot shots of pain went down my spine. 'Arg, shit!'

'Don't move your back, Iggy! Just your feet, and your hands if you could please. We need to know if you still have independent mobility over your limbs.'

I grimaced, and did what I was told. Yep, still could move my hands and feet. Happy now?

'Good girl. It was a success!' Whitecoat Bonanza sighed, rubbing his eyes. I just noticed that Wacko Weirdo had a definite lack in sleep. 'Feeling a bit sleep deprived there?'

'You have no idea.'

'Oh, I wasn't actually asking because I cared. I just wanted to rub it in a bit more.'

'You should be thankful. We have cured you of your cancer, and we have given you a gift that no other human but two in the world have ever gotten the privilege to have.'

'Two? Who's this other chick? Why would you even just steal us away from our families like that in the first place? Our parents have been worrying about us for the past three years.' I could feel tears well up in my eyes.

'My dear, you're parents think that you are dead.' ...Say what now?

'What?!' I shrieked. Bad move. Another dose of pain in the back.

'We staged bodies that looked like you in a car accident, looking as if you had been kidnapped, but then the kidnapper rolled the car and both of you died.'

'Well.......that's both cold and tremendously dickwitted of you.' I growled. 'You made our parents go through that pain and suffering. My family, and that other chick as well. I swear when I get out of here, I'm going to rip your head off.' I just naturally assumed that this other person was a girl also.

'And you will be capable of this my dear, in every literal sense. Our first tests were all about trying different ways to make you more stronger, more agile, faster than any normal being. You could rip my head from my shoulders without any difficulty whatsoever, and not feel anything about it.'

'I think I would feel a main course of ultimate rage, and a side serving of satisfaction.' I remarked. Okay, that was a good comeback......oh, great, now I'm hungry. Do I order food or something? When I was in the cage, they gave me porridge-ey sludge on a plastic plate. At first I threw it back at the scientists. I scored once, throwing the plate at the scientists face. Bullseye. That was the guy that I bit. I like making his life a living hell. It's somewhat satisfying seeing that I can't just go up to him and knee him in the balls. That's my dream, my life goal.

'Soon you shall be able to practice your new limbs, see how strong you are.' Wacko McWeirdson said.

'Why would you want me to build up strength, when if I'm strong enough, I can kill you all and force myself out of here?'

'You can't get out of here.....even I have not seen the sky for nearly six years.' Wait, Whitecoat Wackjob is relating to me?

'You...haven't gone outside for six years?' I asked quietly. He nodded. 'They won't let any of us outside, in fear that we may escape.'

'Escape?...Wait, do you mean, you're here against your will?'

'In a sort. I had no idea what I was signing up for, and now we are captives in our own laboratories.' Whitecoat dude rubbed his eyes again.

'Who's keeping us here?' I asked quietly. Was he telling the truth? Was this some sort of trick?

'The military. They want you as super soldiers. Their own private army of Captain America's to fight their own wars that they started first. So far, there is only two: you, and the British male.'

'He's a dude?...okay, if you're actually telling the truth, of which I doubt severely because of the three years you have kept me and sliced and diced most of my body, what makes you think that the "military" aren't watching you now?'

'I don't, Iggy.' Suddenly, Whitecoat bloke grabbed my arm and pulled himself closer to my ear. 'Iggy, you need to break out. Get yourself and the Brit out with you. Go somewhere where you can be safe from the military. They will use you, and I fear you may not survive.

Shit. I think that he's actually telling the truth. There was telltale signs of fear in his voice. He was genuinely scared for his life.  
'What about you?' I finally gave in to his tale. He shook his head. 'Forget me. I can't escape. I don't have the powers you have now. As soon as you can, take your new friend and get out of here. I have a plan for this base, and the military in it.'

This was truth. Defiantly. I took a deep breath, and focused. The one question I've wanted to ask Whitecoat dude this whole time.

'What's your name?' I asked. He smiled. 'My name is Dr. Teddy Fordell....please, just promise me that you will get out of here.'

Did I have a choice? Because if I did, I didn't realise it at the time.

'.....I promise.'

~

About, what seems like, two weeks later, I was returned to my small cage. Hooray, home sweet home! Though, my back felt heavy, even though it wasn't hurting anymore. I didn't dare try to look over my shoulder, or touch my back. Sebastian's voice rang in my head with a definite chill to his words.....wings, Iggy...you will soar. Was he actually serious? He seemed so, and I think that I half-believed him, now that I've heard his side of the story.

I made myself comfortable in my cage, sighing as I laid on my side with my hands under my head, as a support. A useless memory of my old soft pillow I had at home. Sebastian's words echoes in my mind still. I needed to know. Shouldn't I be able to feel them or something?

I sat up, cross-legged. I took a deep breath, and lifted my shirt up slightly. I let my hand travel past my ribcage......then I felt something soft. It took every fibre of my being not to scream.  
I immediately whipped off my shirt, now only sitting with my bra on, and I peered past my shoulder. I couldn't really see much from this angle, seeing that it was light's out and it was dark, but the lights from in the hallway from our room of caged isolation allowed some light into the room. I angled my back so that it was facing the door, and I gasped.

I couldn't quite see, but I swear I saw two bundles of light speckle brown feathers on my back. I trailed my hand across the feathers lightly. It was a strange sensation, feeling feathers on me. I could feel the tips of my fingers touch the feathers, as if I was touching my own skin. I brushed the feathers, then I grabbed a bundle, not too tightly though. Yep, defiantly real. They were tucked over my bra clips. Well shit. This was happening, folks; the ultimate Maximum Ride cosplay.

'...eherm...' I heard someone clear their throat. A very manly throat. Oh....my fellow kidnapped winged partner in supposed military operations.....was in a cage next to me. How could I not notice someone in here with me?!

I squeaked and immediately put my shirt on again. I turned and saw another cage, about a foot away from my bars. I saw someone moving in the cage.

'Yo, dude! Do ya mind, I was here first!' I blurted out. What was I thinking? He couldn't exactly just leave.

'I apologise, but I seem to be locked up, so I doubt I can leave you in peace.' Exactly. 'But I had thought that I had better make you aware of my presence before you start stripping down in front of me.'

'Well, if you decided to breathe a bit more noisily, people would actually know that you were a being, and not a shadow!' I crossed my hands.

The man slipped his hand out from his cage and offered it to me. 'I think that we may have gotten off on the wrong foot here. I'm sorry, my name's Tom. What's yours?'

I was hesitant with shaking Tom's hand, but I did so. I grasped his hand and shook it. 'I'm Iggy. Wish we could meet under better circumstances.'

'Same here.' After letting go of his hand, he withdrew it back into his cage. Damn, I couldn't see his face. There was light from outside, but not enough to see what he looked like. 'You have...impressive wings, Iggy.'

'Thanks. Got 'em at the local Walmart.' I sighed. 'Well, welcome to The Shawshank Redemption, Tommy-Boy! Please leave all respect for scientists at the door.'

Tom laughed again. It was nice to hear someone laugh after all this time. It was a happy laugh.

'How long have you been here?' I heard Tom asked. 'Three years, give or take a couple of months. You?'

'Around that same amount of time, you were also kidnapped?'

'Umm, yeah. I was a cancer patient. I was going in for my operation, then I woke up here three years ago.'

'I was at a bar, with friends. We were having a good time, but I started to feel dizzy. I went to the gents, and then I think I passed out. Then I woke up in a different room, but like the same as this one.'

'Ah, drinking. Will adults ever learn?' I sighed dramatically.

'What do you mean adults?' Tom asked. I shrugged. 'I was sixteen when they took me.'

'Sixteen?! Dear God, you're still a baby!' Tom exclaimed. I laughed. 'Not really a baby now. Three years on, I think I'm around about nineteen now. How old are you?'

'Well, when I was kidnapped, I was twenty-six......so I'm twenty-nine now.' Tom explained. 'Nineteen is still too young to be put through this type of trauma, seeing that you've been here for three years.'

'I haven't gotten used to it, that's for sure. Though you do find some very amusing past times here. My personal favourite is biting the scientists and throwing my food at their faces.'

Tom chuckled again. 'Sounds like fun. I managed to kick one whitecoat in the stomach, and I made a run for it. Little did I know that they had tranquilizer guns hidden away somewhere.'

'Now, even I didn't know that!' I exclaimed. Tranq guns? That would make a definable difficulty to our escape.’

'Tom...do you have wings too?' I asked.

'Umm...yeah. Yours looked nice lovely brown-ey colour.'

'What colour is yours?'

'A kind of white cream colour. My natural hair colour is blonde, but I dye my hair for productions.'

'Productions? You're an actor?'

'Yeah, like Shakespearian plays and that.'

'Sweet! At school one time, we had to do a re-enactment of "Hamlet". I was just a maid, but I also did a bit of directing and lighting directions.'

'Horatio says 'tis but our fantasy, and will not let belief take hold of him. Touching this dreaded sight, twice seen of us. Therefore I have entreated him along with us to watch the minutes of this night. That if again this apparition come, he may approve our eyes and speak to it.' Tom was reciting a part from Hamlet as Marcelus.

I smiled and cleared my throat. This bloke was straying into my territory now. 'Sit down awhile, and let us once again assail your ears that are so fortified against our story, what we have two nights seen.' Yes! Nailed Bernado's part, even with the slightly unpractised British accent.

'Good, very good. You can out on a brilliant British accent. You should've gotten a lead role, you have great talent.'

'Meh. I was happy being a maid. It also meant that I could sit down and watch the play, and then act in some scenes also. I got an A for Drama, so I was happy.'

'Nice job. Shakespeare is sometime difficult when getting your tongue around the words.'

'It's a bitch. It took me forever to read through the entire play, and then learn the words...oh, well Shakespeare isn't very useful in our incredibly small, incredibly cramped cage. Seriously, couldn't they get us bigger ones?'

'I know right? I'm six foot two, it's painful lying down all the time.'

'Alright, Mr Tall Stuff, get this. I'm six foot one! People thought I was eighteen by the time I was thirteen because I was so tall.....' I stopped talking, as I wandered with my thoughts.

'Iggy? Hey, are you okay?' I heard Tom's voice say. 'Oh, yeah, I'm good. It's just....thinking about my life...we may never be able to get back home.'

Tom went silent. 'Damn. We've been missing for three years.'

'Actually, we've been officially dead for the past three years.'

'What?! Dead?' Tom cried.

'That's right, mate....um, I have a sort of CI in this establishment....you may know him. Tall-ish, glasses, freaky power complex...'

'The guy who experimented on us and sewed wings onto our backs?! Ae you seriously going to take his word, after what he's done to us?!'

'Tom, he's a prisoner here like us! He has no choice but to do this to us. He wants us to get out of here! And I think that we can do it!'

'What, escape? How the fuck are we supposed to do that?' My eyes widened. I've never heard a Brit swear before. Yay, more new experiences here in Shawshank.

'Tom, we just have be prepared. We're stronger than before...as Teddy says anyway.'

'When I'm able to bend the bars on my cage, then I'll start to believe what that bastard says.'

'I dare you.'

'...What?' Tom's voice became high pitched. I shrugged again. 'I dare you. Bend the bars.'

'What? Why would you want me to do that?'

'Just do it, and then let's see what happens.'

I heard Tom sigh, and then I saw his hands wrap around one of the bars on his cage. He had long, nimble fingers. 'Alright.' Tom took a breath, then started pushing the bar outward.

And I swear to God that it moved outward just a little bit.

'Holy shit!' Tom whispered. I was surprised. 'Woah. It's either you're Arnold Schwarzenegger in disguise, or Teddy was right. How much effort did you put into it?'

'Everything! It was hard, but, shit...I actually did it.' Tom's voice conveyed surprise. I replayed Sebastian's voice in my head. 'Okay, here's the plan...' I started. I saw Tom's dark figure lean forward, listening intensively.

Tom and I discussed our plan throughout the night. We were breaking out of this place.

Even if we had to punch through walls, Terminator-style.

...To be honest, that would just be totally awesome! Alasta la vista, bitches!


	5. Chapter Five - Prison Break

I was already awake before they turned on the lights. So was Tom.

They switched on the lights, and I heard someone walking into our little home prison. About time.

'Wakey, wakey, kids!' the scientist said. I saw his hand wrapped in a bandage. The one I had bitten still hadn't healed quite.

'Naw, too bad. You'll have to have it cut off.' I sighed.

The scientist froze. 'What are you talking about?'

'Oh, your hand. I don't know if Teddy told you, but I have a bad case of bird rabies.' I tutted. 'Sorry, mate. I didn't think that it would come to this.'

'Shut your mouth, bitch.' the scientist growled. 'I just broke the stitches that's all.'

'And lemme guess,' Tom piped up. 'It's become infected. Sorry mate, but she's right. Bad case of bird rabies, I'm trying my best to stay away from her. Can you move me? I'm fearing for my life.'

I turned to Tom, and finally I could see his face...hot damn, that boy has looks!

He had very dark cheekbone length brown hair, though his blonde roots were showing, beautiful blue eyes, and his cheekbones...dear God, I could slice cheese with those! I saw him cast an eye in my direction, and I swore his face turned from determination to surprise. What, did I have something on my face? Did I have bed hair? Or in this case, cage hair...wait a minute, I know this guy...shit, Tom Hiddleston?! As in famous actor Tom Hiddleston?! WHAT THE FUCK WAS HE DOING HERE???

'Shut up both of you!' the scientist yelled. I tore my eyes away from the super star prisoner and shrugged in the scientist’s direction. 'Hey, man, we warned you. It's not our problem, but yours.' I knew that this guy had a bad temper. Sparking it was the first stage.

'That's it!' I heard him scream. He fumbled with his keys, using one hand, and started unlocking Tom's cage. 'You two think you can-'

THWAP! A flurry of white exploded in the scientist's face, sending him across the room, and into the wall. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he slumped, unconscious.

'Woah, dude! Lean, mean, fluffy winged machine!' I cheered as he climbed out of his cage. Tom stumbled, grabbing the keys that the scientist dropped when he got a face full of feathery fury. 'Arg, damn! My legs are stiff.'

'Hurry, we can stretch our legs running.' Tom knelt by my cage, and started fumbling with the keys, trying different ones in the lock. After the fourth one, the key fit and he unlocked my cage.

'Fuck yeah!' I said as he helped me up. Shit, he was strong. Wait, was those rock hard abs I felt my hand brush on his stomach? I feel bad now, mine's flatter than a piece of paper.

'C'mon, let's get out of here.' Tom said, taking my hand.

Wait, grab his security pass!' I pointed at the scientist and his pass hanging on his white lab coat. Tom's bare feet pattered against the cold floor as he ran up to the scientist and grabbed his pass. 'Good idea.' He said, taking my hand again. 'Let's get out of here.'

I followed Tom as we jogged, more like staggered, through the white sterile hallways, avoiding any security or whitecoats that came in our path. After about fifteen minutes of aimlessly trying to find our way out of here, Tom and I stopped, trying to catch our breath.

'Damn, this place is like a maze.' I panted, sweat covering my brow. Tom nodded. 'This wasn't very well planned.'

'You just noticed?' I said. 'Wait. Do you hear that?'

I heard someone's footsteps, coming our way. Tom grabbed me and hid around the corner. I held my breath as the footsteps past us. I saw the man from behind. He was military.

I arched my head towards the soldier to Tom, and he looked as if I was crazy. I ran up behind the soldier, and jumped on his back.

'Tom, little help!' I said, as the soldier was taken by surprise at my attack. Tom ran up to the soldier as he ripped me off his back and threw me on the floor. Tom swung, and punched the soldier in the face, making a very crunchy contact with his nose. As the soldier was about to cry out with pain, I kicked my heel upwards, kicking the soldier in the jaw. His mouth clamped shut, and he fell to the floor.

'....shit, we're good!' I said. Tom panted and grabbed his sidearms from the holster. I turned the soldier onto his back and grabbed his pass.

'We already have a pass, we don't need his.' Tom said.

'The scientists aren't allowed to leave the base, not even to go outside. It's most likely that the scientists pass won't work on the outside doors, but military ones might get us out.'

'Nice thinking.' Tom took a breath. 'Thanks, Hiddleston.' I said with a mean tone in my voice.

Tom gave me a look. 'Alright, no need to get nasty.'

'You could've at least told me that you were the Tom Hiddleston. Millions of people must be out looking for you.'

'Like you said, we've been declared dead. I doubt it.' Tom grabbed my arm and heaved me up to my feet.

'Fangirls plus Tumblr equals conspiracy theories. They probably think you've gone to Asgard.' I remarked.

'Can't this wait until we've gotten our asses out of this place?!' Tom exclaimed. 'I'm all for a chat, but let's not do it here.'

'Fine.......oh, it isn't this easy is it?' I pointed at the hallway that the soldier had come from. There on the floor, was a mud trail, from the soldiers boots. 'Someone forget to wipe their feet on the "Home Sweet Home" door mat.'

'What the hell? There's no cameras, no security details, no measures to keep whatever's inside in.' Tom said as he grabbed the soldier's arms and dragged him around the corner, away from sight.

'Obviously whoever's in charge here is a bit cocky. A bit too cocky, I'll say.' I started to follow the muddy trail, but Tom grabbed my arm. 'Wait, we don't know that goes out of here.'

'We don't exactly have a choice, do we?' I said. 'Wherever he came from, it was outside, other wise the mud on his boots would've dried and fallen off by now.'

'...Point taken.' Tom admitted his fault. 'Let's try it.'

And we followed the mud trail, turning short corners and avoiding anyone who came our way, to a very sturdy looking steel door. 'This is way too easy, Tom.'

'Yeah, I'm getting a bad feeling from all this.' Tom took a deep breath. 'Try scanning the card from the soldier we decked.'

I approached the heavy-looking door. '...If there's an army waiting for us on the other side of that door, I wouldn't be surprised.'

I pushed the pass through the EFTPOS look-a-like scanner, and after a few seconds the screen lit up green and the steel door cracked open slightly. Tom and I looked out through the crack that the door had made, and I was right.  
There was an army waiting for us on the other side. The door led outside into a fenced off yard, complete with barbed wire. Beyond the armed fences was what seemed to be forest land. Sentry towers lined the fences, with the added security of about a million military soldiers, all armed with shotguns and side arms...wait a minute, is that a tank?!

'Well...shit.' Tom whispered. I pushed the door closed silently, hopefully not raising any suspicion.

'So that's why there's little to no security in this place.' I said. 'Whatever's inside can't get out anyway. Not against the Army Of A Thousand Legions outside.'

'Not too cocky now.' Tom rubbed his forehead. 'What are we going to do now?'

I considered this. 'Do you think that soldier was about your size?'

Tom caught on to what I had in mind. 'No, just no. There's no way we'll be able to pull that off.'

'It's worth a shot, don't you think?' I exclaimed. 'Do you wanna get out of here, or not?'

Tom rolled his eyes. 'No duh, but I don't think either of us want to get shot in the process.'

'That's a risk I'm willing to take.'

~

We stood in front of the steel door once again, this time with Tom dressed in the soldier's uniform, and I, in the scientist's clothes. I knew that scientist weren't allowed outside, but maybe we could create some sort of back story to get us through.

The scientist's shoes and lab coat was too big for me, so I had to roll up the lab coat's sleeves and I had to try my best to walk in big shoes. I tied my hair up with a rubber band I found in his pocket and put on his glasses. If we got through this, I would be absolutely amazed.

'Alright, let's do this.' I said to Tom, and he nodded. I could see that he was nervous. God knows I was the same. I slipped the pass through the scanner, and once again it flashed green, and the door opened a crack. Tom pulled it open wide enough so that us both could walk out.

Walking out into the cold air made me shiver. I hadn't seen the outside of a lab for the past three years, nor has Tom. The sky was overcast, so that was good or the sunlight would've blinded us both. The fresh air that whipped around my face and made my lab coat flap nearly made me cough. Becoming accustomed to the smell of sterile lab smells had nearly made my nose become completely unoperational. The smell of pine and earth filled my lungs, and I had almost forgotten what they had smelled like. I savoured the taste, til Tom nudged my shoulder, motioning me to move on.

Humvees and soldiers marched past us as we made our way over to where what seemed to be a Humvee parking area. Tom led me to the passenger seat of the nearest Humvee, and I got into the armoured vehicle. Tom then walked around and got into the driver’s seat.

'Do you still remember how to drive?' I asked Tom. He shrugged. 'One way to find out.'

Tom looked behind the sun visor, and out fell the Humvee’s keys. He grabbed them and with a swift twist of his wrist, the Humvee came to life, and Tom guided the vehicle towards the guarded gate, where many soldiers stood with machine guns. 'Quick, get your pass out.' Tom said, and I did what he said without thinking. Now wasn't the time for pauses.

Tom pulled up next to the soldier whom gave him the signal to stop. He looked stern and mean. He approached Tom's window as he winded it down.

Tom presented his pass to the angry-looking sentry. He looked in the Humvee and saw me. 'You escorting a lab scientist?' He had a think European accent.

'Yes, bloody nuisance they are, though.' Tom complained. The sentry chuckled. 'They are. Go ahead.' He gave Tom back the pass, and the sentry waved at the other soldiers and they opened the gates. I held my breath as we passed the soldiers, and we drove off into the forest area, guided by a dirt road.

'...Oh my God, we're out.' I whispered. Tom sighed and ran his hand through his hair. 'Shit, we made it.'

Then the menacing screams of a siren went off behind us back at the base.


	6. Chapter Six - Running Like A Bat Outta Hell

'Step on the gas, Vin Diesel, they know we've escaped!' I said, looking behind me at the super-secret base we had just escaped out of. No more needles for this chicka, no thank you!

Tom pressed down on the pedal, and the Humvee went faster, leaving the terrible three years we had lived through behind us as we drove into the forest further away from danger and further into freedom.

We drove down the dirt road at high speed for half an hour, and so far, no missiles in the air pointing at us, no other Humvees following us....was freedom really ours in those precious few minutes we had spent getting as much distance as possible from our guinea pig lives? Somehow, it seemed too true to be true.

'Iggy...' Tom started. I realised I was still starring out the rear window, and my neck was hurting. I turned back to the front of the Humvee, and realised Tom had stopped the vehicle. We were deep in the forest. The smell of pine and dirt was beautiful, compared to sterile hospital lab-ey smell.

'What's wrong?' I asked.

Tom shook his head. 'It's just...how can we go back to normal lives? We can't go to our families because they think us dead, and for all we know, we could be in fucking Canada!'

'Calm down Tom. We'll think up a rational plan when we can get our heads screwed on tighter....we're on the run now. From the military. But the military are everywhere...and I see where you're coming from; it does kinda look like Canada.'

Tom started driving again. 'We need to ditch this thing soon. It's too noticeable.'

'So's our elegant attire, Captain.' I smirked at his cute soldier's uniform. 'I think some shoplifting at the next town mall is in store for us. Unless you have a roll of cash somewhere the scientists couldn't find?'

'You have a very twisted mind, Iggy.' Tom said sternly, but I could see him trying not to smile.

'It's in the job description, being an escape science experiment and all.'

We drove on for about another three hours. I managed to find a map in the glove compartment. I saw a small circle in the forest area on the map. That's where the base was. I searched for any nearby towns or cities, and I got one, and then figured out what country we were in.

‘Schönebodewald'?' I attempted repeated from the map. Tom looked at me, then looked back at the road. 'What did you just say?'

'Dude.....we're in fucking Switzerland!' I nearly cried out. 'In some deep forest area called Schönebodewald. If we continue this course, we should hit a highway soon...Blumens...Blumy...Blow My...nope, not even going to try and repeat that road name.'

'Switzerland. Shit.' Tom took a deep breath. '...oh fucking God!'

'My reaction exactly...hey, there it is! Blow My Stein Straws!' I pointed at the paved road ahead of us.

'Blow My what?!' Tom bursted out with laughter as he turned onto the road.

I smiled. 'Hey, don't mock the comical genius! Other languages was never my cup of tea.'

We laughed and talked as we drove down the road towards a town called Blumenstein. Of course, I tried to pronounce that one too, but failed miserably and with Tom laughing at my many attempts. It was good to see his laughing and smiling. God knows he probably hasn't done so for so long.

I hadn't realised I had fallen asleep as Tom drove along. I slept what felt like seconds when Tom shook my shoulder. 'Hey, we're at Blumenstein.'

'I seriously think whoever named these towns was incredibly drunk.' I stated and got out of the car. My newely-aquired lab coat was being a pain, so I took it off and threw it in the Humvee. Underneath I was wearing the scientist's casual shirt and really, really big trousers. I was sitting down for most of the time, so I hadn't known that not holding my arms tightly to my sides would result in my trousers dropping off my hips. I immediately grabbed them and pulled them up again, looking around and making sure that no one was looking. Then I realised we were in an abandoned car park.

'You little shit of a thing...' I murmured to myself as I unbuckled the belt and tightened it by fifty inches, forcing a new hole where the belt seemed tight enough for my pants not to fall down. Then I pulled the shirt over top the belt. Tom walked around the Humvee in his soldier’s uniform and started stripping down. He took off the formal jacket and threw it into the vehicle, whilst also wrapping the gun he had taken in the jacket also. Now he was dressed in a long white shirt, cargo pants and army boots. 'Better than walking around town all trussed up like a dog of the military.' He said to me.

I fanned my face. 'Y'know, if I had five dollar bills, they'd be in your belt by now.' I smirked at him as he face palmed and shook his head.

'C'mon, Iggy...let's go shoplifting.' Tom said with a sigh. I nodded, and we made our way out of the car park and out onto the street.

We walked past many clothing stores and bakeries that made our mouths water. Then Tom stopped walking and leaned to whisper in my ear. 'Have a go at some of the clothes stores, and I'll get some food. Then meet me back at the Humvee in twenty.'

I smiled. 'You sure you know what to do?' Tom rolled his eyes. 'It's not like I've done it before, but I'll try.'

'Good luck, Grasshopper!' I smiled at him, and he smiled back. I watched him walk away. Then I turned towards one of the clothing stores, and took a deep breath.  
'Well, let's do this.'

~

Twenty minutes had past, and I was leaning against the Humvee waiting for Tom. Though I was starting to get worried. Had Tom ever shoplifted before? Had he been caught? Was the military around? Shit, I was becoming paranoid. Well, who wouldn't be paranoid after spending what feels like an eternity in a cage?

Then I saw the actor turn the corner into the car park and head towards me, jogging slightly. I smiled and waved at him. He had his arms full with stolen things.

'Hi-ho! Lunch is served!' Tom panted as he stood in front of me. I pretended to examine my fingernails as I looked at what he had stolen. Inside a big brown paper bag, he had managed to nick three pastries, a few hot herb and cheese rolls, and a small loaf of bread. The mixture of baked goods made me drool.

'And why are looking so smug? I did pretty good for a first timer.' Tom teased.

'You're so innocent.' I smiled and opened the backseat door to the Humvee to show Tom my stolen stash. His eyes widened with surprise. 'How the...what...shit, woman! You're a criminal mastermind!'

In the backseat of the Humvee was two backpacks with some of the things I had stolen for the both of us. In each bag was three pairs of shirts, two pairs of jeans, several pairs of socks and underwear, a water bottle, hygienic things that I won't go into detail to specify, and two belts. Next to the backpacks was two sleeping bags, a torch with extra batteries, a flint, a compass and two extra-large hunting knives with belt clips. There was a camping store nearby that I raided. Yep, I was a criminal mastermind!

'Well, I wouldn't go that far!' I laughed. I took the bad of hot bread stuffs and passed Tom the blue backpack filled with the clothes I had gotten him. 'Sorry I had to guess your size. Hope I got it right.'

'Thank you...well, you did steal them all, but thanks all the same!' Tom smiled as he went through the bad, checking the sizes. 'Yeah, just about...umm, thanks for the extra underwear.'

I turned my head so that Tom couldn't see me blushing. The clerk at the shop that I had decided to steal from looked a bit mystified to why I was hanging around the men's underwear section, but just shrugged and left. I guess many ladies shop for undies for their male friends.

'Get dressed, then we can eat, and get a new ride.' I said with my back turned to Tom as I looked through the bags to make sure I had everything in mine. Tom grabbed his bag, and made his way behind the open Humvee door, and started stripping again. I kept watch as he changed, and after he stepped out from behind the door wearing the grey t-shirt, black coat, black Converses and grey jeans with the stylish punk belt I had chosen out for him. And damn...did I make a good choice!

'Your turn. I'll keep watch.' Tom nodded at me and I ducked behind the Humvee door, and I changed. At the store they had some really good clothes. I got myself a nice black pair of jeans with another nice punk belt, red Converses, A white strap shirt with a bigger shirt overtop that said something in Swedish, and a black coat.

But as I got changed, I felt my hands brush against my wings and I jumped with surprise. I had forgotten they were there. I stroked the soft feathers with my fingers. Maybe we could train ourselves to fly, like baby birds from the nest? 

I sighed and closed the Humvee door and I caught Tom looking at me strangely.

I cocked an eyebrow. 'You see something you like?' Tom just blushed and passed me the paper bag. 'What would you like for lunch?'

'Those herb and cheese rolls are mocking me. I need to eat them before they start screaming profanities at me.' I grabbed one out of the bag, and nearly shoved it all in my mouth. Tom grabbed a pastry and looked around. 'See any good cars to nick?'

I nudged Tom with my elbow. 'See? Now you’re starting to sound like a criminal.'

'Well, after this little trip, I'm guessing we are now.' Tom rubbed his eyes.

I looked around, and I saw something that chilled me to the bone. 'Tom, we have to go now.'

'What's up?' Tom turned to me. I grabbed Tom's shoulder and pulled him down as I ducked behind the car next to us. 'The military are here.'

I saw about four Humvees travelling at high speeds down the main street next to us. They all had soldiers in them, probably armed to the teeth. I looked around in a frantic. I saw a white Nissan Patrol parked not three spaces over from us. 'Okay, we'll go for that one.'

'How are we going to get into it?' Tom asked, but I had grabbed one of the metal coat hangers that one of the shirts was hanging on and snapped it. 'You go on the lookout for passer-by’s, and I'll hotwire it.'

Tom was completely gobsmacked by my actions as I managed to not only unlock the car, but also hotwire the car. 'How the hell do you know all this stuff?'

'You don't wanna know.' Now wasn't the time to take a stroll down memory lane. 'Grab the stuff form the Humvee and pile it in the back.'

Tom did as I complied. I made sure that Tom was driving, and with much head ducking and avoiding the passing Humvees, we made it out of Blumenstein and onto the highway.


	7. Chapter Seven - Our Dead Past Is Catching Up With Us

My heart skipped a beat as we drove out of Blomen-whatever, going south-east. I sunk into the cushion of the passenger seat as Tom drove, white knuckled and steady along the road as we turned corners and avoided any Humvees coming our way. I could feel that Tom was somewhat tense, not just from the near reunion of the creepy soldiers of the Wack-job Base of The Creepy and Abnormal Beings. I told myself not to talk to him, or he might swerve off the road.

It wasn't until an hour had passed from our escape that Tom broke the silence between us.

'How did you do all that? Y'know, the stealing and the carjacking? 'Cause I'm pretty sure they don't teach you that in Scouts.'

'I wasn't in Scouts. I was too sick for tying knots and earning badges.' I whisper. I feel as if the military soldiers were right behind us, and if I talked too loud they would hear me.

'Iggy, how?' Tom asked again. I rubbed my eyes and ran my hand through my hair.

'Okay, here's the truth. When I was diagnosed, I was devastated as any normal person would be. If someone was told that they had cancer, they would do the things they had always wanted to do. Y'know, the bucket list and all...' I looked at Tom whom was concentrating on the road but was still listening. 'Well, instead of doing that, I ended up stealing stuff from shops and crashing cars, seeing that I never really learned how to drive in the first place.'

Nor Tom or I spoke for a few minutes. After no response from Tom, I continued.

'Well, I got depressed. I wanted attention, I wanted people to see what I was going through. In the end I just ended up hurting my mother and getting balls deep in trouble. I have an official criminal record. After the cops dragged me out of another stolen car that I crashed outside my home town, I finally saw what this was doing to my mother...so I stopped.' I rubbed my temples as a headache started to take hold. 'I stopped six months before I was taken, and my death faked...God knows what my mother has been going through these past few years trying to get over my death...and your family, Tom.'  
Tom looked at me, then quickly looked back at the road. I went on. 'You're family must have been devastated, just like mine. And all you adoring fans who love you. You're friends, all those celebrity workmates you've befriended...you're lucky to have friends. I don't have any.'

'What does that make me? You're chauffeur?' Tom said, making me jump. Tom smiled. 'Yeah, you came across as the rebel type when I first met you, then you quoted Shakespeare with me, and I thought wow, she's really intelligent and beautiful. Could she be the rebel teenager that I so hastingly thought that she was? Could she be a friend in this hard time of bleakened darkness and steel traps?'

I let my hands fall to my lap, and I looked out the passenger window at the countryside passing by. 'Now you've realised that I'm none of that, and just some stupid kid who thought that she could cure herself of the depression that was holding her down by being a total bitch.'

Then Tom placed a hand over mine on my lap.

'No, Iggy. You are the beautiful, intelligent, Shakespeare-quoting girl I met in the dark cell. You somewhat shone in the darkness, and you showed me that you were independent, strong and incredibly feisty. You could've done so much with your life if you hadn't been captured and experimented on. You could've had a normal, teenager-like life.'

I smiled and squeezed his hand. 'But then I wouldn't have met the gorgeous, talented Tom Hiddleston, king of the Hiddlestoners and Shakespeare’s biggest fan!'

Tom chuckled. 'And I may not have met the feisty, scientist-bitting Iggy, queen of comebacks!'

'And a total Hiddlestoner, I might just add.' I laughed

'Yay, my best friend is a fan! I wouldn't have it any other way!' Tom cheered and raised his hand to the roof, then immediately placed it back on the wheel, as it was the only hand free to steer.

'You're...you're best friend?' I asked. 'I'm your best friend?'

'Why not? We broke out of the Guantanamo Bay version of Shawshank together with your ingenious and my punching skills, which by the way, hurt. We shoplifted together, we're outrunning the government military of Swiss Cheese Land,' Then Tom looked at me with those bright blue eyes. 'And we're the only two birdy humans out there. We're the same species, the soul survivors of something horrid. You are now officially my new best friend.'

'I feel honoured, sir.' I smiled. 'But you're still a bit edgy about the stealing and stuff?'

'I think that we do stupid things in the past, and the past is the past. Anyway, I have a feeling that we will be needing your "skills" along the road.'

I laughed, then a bright idea came along and slapped me hard in the face. Of course, how stupid could I be?!

'I don't think that we would really need the road for much longer.' I said.

'What do you mean?' Tom asked. I smiled at the actor.

'Dude, we have wings. I'm pretty sure we may be able to teach ourselves to use them and fly our way home.'

Okay, now that made Tom swerve off the road, and scare the crap out of a squirrel, I might just add. Poor thing.

'What?! Flying? Actual flying? And how do you propose we do that?' Tom said, correcting the car onto the road again.

'In case you haven't been paying attention for the past two weeks, we have wings attached to our backs! Baby birds teach themselves how to fly by watching their parents. We could try to do the same, but without all the stalking birds stuff.'

Tom took a deep breath. 'You think we could fly all the way out of Switzerland? And where? Where is safe from the government military?'

I concentrated. 'Well...London is closer to us than Connecticut...we could fly to your place! Get people on our side, and rise against the military scum!'

'You've been watching too many action movies.' Tom said bluntly. I rolled my eyes. 'Alright, Einstein, you have a better idea?' He didn't.

'Fine. We'll somehow teach ourselves how to fly, and then we can go to London...but how are we going to find a safe enough place to practise, let alone a place to camp out?'

'This is a four-wheel drive, Tom. Let's go country.'

Tom slowed the car and turned off the road, and we drove towards another heavily forested area about a mile from the road. 'Let's keep going this way, and see where it takes us.'

~

We have been driving for half an hour through the lightly forested area. But finally the forest got too thick and we had to walk the rest of the way. And my oh my, what a camping place we found.

It was a small clearing in the forest where a small river was flowing through. Heavy forest in every direction for fifty miles, water supply, big enough clearing overhead for potential flying practise lessons....yep, this was the spot.

'Well, we couldn't have come across some place better.' Tom agreed with me, hauling the sleeping bags next to the river as our official sleeping spots. I carried our backpacks and placed them next to the sleeping bags. 'What about food? We need food, unless we discover we have a fetish for worms and crawling things.'

'Yeah, no.' Tom said bluntly. 'I saw a sign before we left the road. There's a town not five miles from here. We can get food there.'

'Sweet sticks!' I rubbed my hands together. 'Now, I think a nice fire should be good.'

'And attract the military towards a plume of smoke? Maybe not.' Tom said.

I nodded 'Actually yeah, good point.'

And in those few minutes of setting up camp, we had our sleeping bags out and the leftovers of our pastry lunch for dinner.

I finished my tea, and then laid down on the sleeping bag, looking up at the stars. 'Well, haven't seen these guys for a while.'

'Who?' Tom asked. I pointed at the sky. 'Stars. Haven't seen them for a while.'

Tom laid down next to me and smiled at the stars. 'They're more beautiful than I remember.'

We laid there for a while, listening the gurgling of the nearby river. Little did I know that I fell asleep there with Tom, and he did also.

Somehow, this seemed like paradise.

Though anything would seem like paradise after spending three years in a military base. Not to put a depressing note on the more nicer part of the story or anything.


	8. Chapter Eight - Learning To Fly

'Mother fucker!' And then a loud thump. That's what I woke up to in the early hours of the morning.

Okay, normally I was woken up at God-awful times back in the labs, but this was crossing a line. The sun was just starting to rise, and the sky still showed some of the early morning stars. Half the sky was illuminated with light pinks, light blues and orange, and the other half was dark blue. Having all the evidence laid out in front of me, I realised it was FUCKING SUNRISE!

'For the love of Chuck Norris, Tom! It's early!' I cry out to him. 'Have mercy, and sleep. We've just broken out of friggin' prison. Enjoy your freedom while you still have it.'

'You're the one who said we should start practising how to use these damn things in the first place.' I hard Tom's voice say. I had my eyes shut, as I wanted to sleep until noon. 'So get your bum up here, and help me.'

'What are you talking about?' I groan and sit up, rubbing my eyes of sleep. I look in Tom's direction, and I see him topless with his wings spread out. Let's just say I'm awake now. I'll tell you what, that's something I can get used to seeing every morning, ladies and gentlemen.

'Right, Flying School 101.' I unzip my sleeping bag and climb out. I slept in my jeans and shirt, so I didn't bother on changing. 'To be perfectly honest, I have no idea what to do.'

'My wings are weak; they don't carry me.' Tom said. I noticed that he was sweaty and was slightly covered in dirt and grass stains.

'Dude, what have you been doing? Wrestling?' I ask.

Tom shrugged. 'Trying to fly. Isn't really turning out how I planned.'

'I can see that.' I gestured to him. 'Let's just try all this together, man. We're both flying home, remember?'

Tom nodded. I wrapped my arms around me. My sleeping bag was warm, but now standing in the twilight morning breeze, it was a bit cold. Tom saw this, and wrapped one of his arms around my shoulder. He pressed me against his dirty body, but I didn't complain. He was warm.

'Hey, Iggy?' Tom asked.

'Yo?' I said.

'You said you're from Connecticut, in America?' I nodded.

'You don't have an American accent.' Tom pointed out.

I chuckle. 'Yeah, well, me and Mum moved from Scotland when I was born to Australia. After about fourteen years, we went to New York to get the best cancer treatment money can buy. We weren't loaded or anything; an old workmate of my Mum's knew an American doctor, and she hooked us up. We stayed in New York for six months before she told me we would be living there permanently, because of my treatments; the first few didn't work, then I started having operations.' I stopped. 'You don't want to hear my sap story.'

'No, I do. I'm interested to know you.' Tom said. 'You said you moved from Scotland?'

'That's where Mum and I was born, in Glasgow. I don't remember it at all though. That's why I have an Australian accent. But Mum was planning to move back to Connecticut after my treatments were over. I'm only guessing, but that's where I think she is.'

'I like your accent.' Tom said. I smiled. 'I like yours. Very British.’

Tom chuckled again. 'Thanks.'

I closed my eyes. 'Please, don't ever stop doing that.'

'What?' Tom asked.

'Laughing. I haven't heard anyone laugh for three straight years, and I missed it so much. When I met you and I made you laugh, I remembered what laughing felt like, just for a moment.' I could hear Tom's heartbeat as my ear was pressed against his left pec. 'I make those stupid jokes because I want to hear people laugh again. I don't know why, but I like hearing others laugh; making them laugh. It makes me happy.'

I felt Tom's arm tighten around my shoulders. 'Never stop making jokes, Iggy. That's what makes me laugh, and if that's what makes you happy and makes you smile,' He looked down at me, and I raised my head to return his gaze. 'Then I will never stop laughing at you. But sometime you have to start laughing with me. That's true happiness, being with others and laughing.'

'You know a lot for someone in their late twenties.' I raised an eyebrow. Tom smiled. 'Many people have taught me their life lessons, and I have learned from them. They were good teachers.'

'And now they think that you're dead.' I said, pulling away from Tom's warm grasp. Tom shrugged. 'We can't really do anything about it until we get to London. Then we can put those scientists and the Switzerland government to shame.'

I nodded. 'Then I guess we should start. Let's try again, and see what you need to improve on.'

Okay, let's just say that we both need a lot of practise. Hey, don't blame me, this is the first time I've ever flown without an airplane before. Give us some time.

Tom opened his wings once again, the now fully risen sun glinting off his white, dirt-stained wings. Then he raised them above his head, and brought them down to the ground in one smooth stroke. He went a few feet in the air, but then his balance went off, but he tried to flap his wings to correct his movements, but he fell to the ground once again. For the fifteen millionth time.

'Okay, dude, you need to rest.' I said from my seated area on the grass next to the river. 'You're failing miserably.'

'Why don't you try it, and see how hard this is?' Tom growled as he picked himself up from the scuffed earth.

'Hey, don't get all huffy with me. I'm your emotional coach.' I cheered.

'Coaches are supposed to push their players.' Tom said puffing.

I rolled my eyes. 'I said emotional; I'm no friggin' Tony McGuire! I'm hear when you get fed up with falling, and I help you to try again and again. That's what real coaches do.'

'Then come over here and demonstrate your amazing skills to me. So that I may learn from the very best.' Tom said sarcastically whilst trying to rub some dirt off his face.

'Wash up, Hasselhoff. I'll have a try.' I stood dusting off my jeans. Tom walked and crouched by the river, washing off the dirt from his arms.

I stood where Tom was trying to get off the ground, and reached my hand to the back of my shirt. I realised I'd have to take off my shirt in order to get my wings out. Shit.

'Tom, don't look.' I call out to him.

'Why not?' Tom called back, still washing.

'I'm taking my shirt off, dumbarse. To get my wings out.' I removed my shirt and now I was standing with only my bra and jeans on. I looked up to the nearly noon sky. There was little to no clouds out today, and I could see one of those traditional V-shaped bunch of birds flying in the sky.

'You don't need to be embarrassed, Iggy.' Tom said facing me. 'You'll have to fly like that when we go to London.'

I immediately covered my bare stomach and cleavage with my arms. 'Dude, not okay!’

'You've seen me with my shirt off.' Tom started to argue.

'Doesn't mean that you get to see me topless...or with a bra on, same thing!'

'Show me wrong. You get up in the sky for more than ten seconds and I'll apologise.' Tom crossed his now clean arms. I stuck out my tongue at him. 'Fine, bossy pants.'

It's a strange feeling, having wings. You know they're there, and you can move them, like you can move your arms and legs independently. But this was something else.

I slowly let my wings spread out in the open space of the clearing, and let them soak in the sunlight. They had never seen the sun before; this was their first time ever tasting the warmth of the sun's rays. I shut my eyes and breathe in the forest air. Freedom was nice.

'Woah...' I heard Tom exclaim. I opened my eyes and looked at him. I saw his eyes look over my outstretched wings, is gaze burning as he surveyed them. 'Your wings....they're beautiful.'

'Why thank you. I wish I could say that I grew them myself.' I said with a comical tone.

I finally looked at them myself, and I was amazed. The top few layers of feathers, the small ones on the bridge of my wing to the tips of the end primary feathers, were different shades of light brown and a few little specks of dark brown and gold. The rest of the feathers were creamy white, nearly like Tom's wings were like. They stretched at least fifteen feet, and I instantly fell in love with them. Something about them, made me feel complete. 

'I can do this.' I whisper to myself. I took a deep breathe, and raise them above my head. They towered over me, shading me from the sun.

Then I slammed them down against the ground, and I was flying up in the air, up towards the sun. I screamed, first with fright. But then I wooped with happiness and joy.

I stretched my wings out more and tilted myself forward, and I was gliding. Over the Switzerland forest we were hiding in. The breeze whistled past my ears and messed with my short hair. All I could feel was my heart pumping with excitement.

Wait, hold on. Did I just leave Tom, completely mystified by how I had outwitted him and had just did some sort of jet take off? And yet he hadn't learnt how to get ten feet in the air, let alone actually gliding?  
Okay, back to Earth. Don't rub it in.

I looked down at everything that I had thought was big, now seems so small. I could see the small clearing where Tom and I were camped out.

Shit, how do I get down from here?

I started by angling myself down towards the ground, and then I was freefalling. The ground was plummeting up towards me at a fast speed. I started flapping my wings, trying to land and angle myself for landing. I had seen some of David Attenborough's bird documentaries and the slow motion was incredible. I remembered that, and I tried to mimic what those birds had done.

Guess what? I'm a natural at take-off's, not so good at landings though.

I hit the ground running, literally. I then tried to fold my wings, but I tripped over my sneaker, and I fell flat on my face, inhaling some lovely Switzerland dirt.

'Shit, Iggy!' I heard Tom's voice call out and his running footsteps came towards me. I picked myself off the ground, admiring the big groove I had made in the ground, and spat out dirt whilst turning to Tom.

'You, dickhead, own me an apology.'


	9. Chapter Nine - To Home, Forward March!

Well, you can guess what happened after my performance. Tom was jealous, and he wanted me to teach him my magically acquired skills. I had no idea how do to that, but I managed to coach Tom well, and within three weeks of hard and brutal self-training for both of us, we were able to fly with each other side by side in the sky. We only ever flew above the forest we lived in, as we were scared that someone would see us from below.

Yep, we had gone a few weeks without the military finding us. Jeez, these guys were oblivious! We were living under their noses in their own country. The thought of going home was burning in my mind badly. I just wanted to go home and see my mother. I wanted to go back to my room. The cream coloured walls and tea lights hanging from my window. My piles of books and my old, comfy bed. The thought of hugging my mother, smelling the pomegranate and peach shampoo she washed her deep brown hair with. Her baking, she could out-bake Martha Stewart anytime. And she could make a mean chilli chowder. I'm serious, guys. One time it was that hot, mine and Mum's tongues swelled up and we both had to go to the hospital. We laughed for ages remembering that time. The thought of flying home to her has kept me going all this time.  
You have no idea what it's like, flying without the metal of an airplane trapping you. The wind in your hair, blasting against your face and under your wings; it feels as if the ground didn't exist anymore, and we were always flying. Sometimes it was hard to remember life without wings, life living with cancer and being sick. But I could remember my mother to a tee, and I would never forget her. I would never have to, returning home to her. And it would be soon too! Tom and I, our flying has progressed faster than what we had thought. Tom has grown so strong. Once, the car got bogged, and both me and Tom just lifted the end of the car, and we rolled it out just using our hands! I couldn't believe it at first, but realising we were getting stronger, meant that we would be ready to go home soon.

I don't know how much time had past to this point, but I was sitting next to the river with one leg in the water, just thinking and listening to the water slowly pass me. Tom was gliding above me, doing flips and somersaults in the air. I would join him, but for some reason today, I was more depressed than usual. I guess it was thinking about my Mum again. God, I miss her like nuts.

I didn't hear Tom land behind me. He was so good at flying, and landing now. I was never good at landing, as you had witnessed jut before. Good thing that we both heal faster too.

Tom sat next to me, frightening me. 'Jeez, dude! Stop being a ninja, and start breathing.'

'Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.' Tom raised his hands in defence. He saw my depressed mood, and sat closer. 'Hey, are you okay?'

'Yeah...no.' I rubbed my eyes. 'Just thinking about home, really. You think of home much?'

'Everyday.' Tom smiled. 'I remember, annoying my sisters in my young age, my mother and father's love and support. I remember my friends well, they always made me laugh...but not as much as you do, Iggy.’

I turned to the winged actor. 'I'm no comedian, but I can get a few chuckles.’

Tom smiled brighter and wrapped his arms around me. I hugged him back, my mood slightly lifted. 'We can do it.'

'What?' Tom asked.

'Fly to London. When you think about it, it's not very far. Only over France, then the Channel, and we're there.'

'France is a very large country. It may take us some many days to get there.' Tom said.

'But we can do this, Tom.' I pulled away to look into Tom's blue eyes. His hair was messy from flying. He was a bit overdue for a haircut, but he looked just as normal. 'We can get to London, and we can expose what those creeps did to us. What they have done to others.'

'We can, and we will. But it will take time. We can't do it all within a day.' Tom reassured. I nodded in agreement with him.

And guess what? We decided we would leave soon.

That very damned morning, to be precise.

We packed only clothes and food for the journey ahead. We had to pack light as the rest would weigh us down in the air, as we were only used to flying with our own body weight. I had been able to steal some money, so I stashed that in a small corner in my backpack. We were forced to leave the rest of the camping supplies, and the car. I made sure we had the compass and the map, so that we could find our way via major attractions and rest stops. We had to travel north-west to travel over the Swiss border, over into France, then over the Channel, and into the United Kingdom. But I was a little scared naturally. What if the Swiss military decide to look up when we were flying, and shoot us down?! But it seemed that was something we had to risk.

'Are you ready?' I asked Tom, as he adjusted his backpack's straps so that they would be tighter around his bare shoulders.

'As ready as we will ever be.' He said. Yes, his bare shoulders! We had to fly without shirts on, as we needed our wings to fly, believe it or not ladies and gents! I was to fly with only my bra and pants and shoes on. Massive sunburn, here I come! Hope no one looks up.

'This is going to be a big leap. We've really only every flown for a few hours a day.' Tom said as he flexed his wings out.

'Well, hope the winds on our side today if so.' I shrugged out my wings from their folded position and started flexing them, prepping for flight.

'Iggy?' Tom asked as I touched the ends of my sneakers, stretching. I straightened and looked at him. 'Yes, O Mighty One?'

'You know I love you? You're my bestie?' Tom said. I rolled my eyes. 'No, duh, Einstein, if you weren't, I wouldn't have such a nice tone towards you.'

Tom smiled. Then he raised his wings above him, ready to take off. I had managed to show Tom how I did it the first time, launching into the sky like a rocket. He practised a lot, and when I mean a lot, I mean every time he did it I got a mouthful of dirt. This occurred frequently. Since then I had learned to close my mouth.

I copied Tom, raising my wings in the air. I admired them once again, the way that the brown and the white captured the sunlight still bedazzles me.

And then we were off, launching into the air like bullets from a gun. The wind whipping against our faces and messing my hair. I twisted in the air, making me spiral spin as I climbed. I laughed as I climbed higher into the air. Tom copied me, and to his delight, he found that fun too. But don't do it too much, very dizzy...no, stop now.

I levelled out, spreading my wings and facing north west. I flapped my wings to gain more altitude, and all too soon, we were on our way to London.

Me and Tom.

On our way to his home.


	10. Chapter Ten - Look At Me Btches, I Can Fly!

(A/N: Please don't sue me for music copyright, I just really like this song.)

 

'There's a full moon on the rise,' I sang as Tom and I flew. It had been only three hours since we took off from Switzerland soil, and I seemed to be bored. As beautiful as Switzerland was, there's only a certain amount that you can see in one day. 'And a sadness growing heavy in my soul.'

'What's that song?' Tom asked. We were flying close together and not that fast, seeing that Tom had no idea how to get as fast as me, so just to be nice and all I decided to match his speed.

'Take Me Home by Jack Savoretti. It's one of my favourites.' I said taking in a deep breath.

'I know that song from somewhere. I think the band I went to see at the pub when I was taken were playing it.' Tom said, stretching his arms out under his wings. 'I really liked that song.'

'Yeah, it's good.' I smiled, then started singing again. 'You can see it in my eyes, I don't know where to go,'

'No, I don't know where to go.' Tom joined in with me. He had an impressive voice. I laughed, and so we started singing mid flight in the air above Switzerland and all the men who wanted our arses mounted above their fireplaces.

'There's a kindness in your smile,  
Please forgive me, I can't help but stop and stare.  
We can walk for miles and miles,  
I know you'll get me there.  
Yes I know you'll get me there.  
Take me home with you tonight.  
I'm not gonna make it down this lonely street.  
Take me home with you tonight,  
I'm not gonna make it on my own, my own two feet.'

I smiled at Tom as we sang up to the chorus. Jack Savoretti really knew how to write a song.

'Hey?' Tom called out.

'What?' I asked. Tom pointed down, and I looked where he was pointing.

There, sitting all too merry, were military soldiers sitting around near a campfire.

'Go! Split!' I said, and I veered to the right as Tom veered off to the left. We couldn't fly over the soldiers, otherwise they would know that we weren't ducks. I looked down to see more soldiers, and Humvees lined the side of the dirt road where they had parked for the night.

'After all this time, they're still searching for us.' I smiled and gave them the finger. 'Look at us, bitches! We can fly!' I didn't say it too loud, otherwise they would look up. Bitches stuck on land. Bring on the impending doom, motherfuckers. We'd be in France before the sun even set tonight.

I flew for about two minutes more, until I couldn't see the soldiers anymore, then I veered left again to reunite with Tom on the set course. After veering for a moment, I could see a white winged speck on the distance, which I identified as my British heart throb companion.

'Yoo, hoo, Tommy darling!' I put on my best British accent and waved to him. He heard me, and waved back. 'Hallo, Iggy, darling!' I heard him call back in a ridiculously sounding cockney accent.

We re-aligned ourselves and started back on our set course to France. 'That was close. Nearly ran into the Army of the Kidnapping Bastards down there.'

'You're not wrong. I want to set down in France before night comes.' Tom said. 'That means speeding up a bit.' Tom raised an eyebrow. 'Up for a workout?'

'I don't know if you can keep up with me, Tom.' I said seriously. Tom shook his head. 'I can keep up, just watch me.'

I sighed and looked to the horizon, where we aimed to touch down just over the French border by nightfall. I took a breath, stretched my wings out wider as I flapped up, and then with more powerful strokes, I started gaining more speed. Tom followed behind me. He had to follow me, as I was the one with the compass.

Viva La France, here we come!


	11. Chapter Eleven - Bonjour

We made it out of Switzerland, and we settled for the night as the sun was setting at the French border outside a town called Granges - Paccot. We were so tired by the time we got to the town. We flew over the Naturepark Gantrisch, and boy was it beautiful. Switzerland was a lovely country, y’know, after the thought that people were after us. 

We were so tired, that when we landed, we didn’t even land properly.

‘Ahh, damn it!’ I cried as I landed on my butt and kidded for a few metres, then I tumbled and rolled on the grass. Tom crash landed next to me. I was out of breathe, burnt to a crisp, and my wings were sore as hell.

‘Iggy,’ Tom moaned as he pushed himself to sitting position.

‘Mmmff?’ I groaned. 

‘You okay?’ Tom asked.

‘I think I broke my arse, but other than that I’m good.’ I sat up and looked at Tom, who had dirt all over his face. I pointed at a small clump of grass hanging from his hair. ‘Hey, you, umm, have a little something…’

Tom combed his hands through his hair and grass and dirt fell to the ground. I laughed. ‘Dude, you need a shower!’

‘You do too, and – holy shit, your back, Iggy!’ Tom saw my back, and already I knew what it was.

‘Red as a beetroot, yeah?’ I asked Tom nodded. ‘Only the back of your arms and below the bottom half of your back. Your backpack protected you a bit.’ 

I sighed. ‘Shit, I knew that was gonna happen. Let’s see your back, you might bet the same.’ Tom turned his back to me. ‘Actually, you’re brown, you lucky bastard.’

‘We’ve gotta find you some sunscreen and ice. That’s a bad sunburn.’ Tom turned to face me. There’s a town not far from here, they should have a chemist.’

‘And possibly a working shower, but we can’t stay in the town for long.’ I said, standing up and wiping the dirt and grass off of me. 

‘We’ll work something out. Try to get a shirt on, and we’ll go for a wander. By the time we reach there on foot, it’ll be dark out and we can sneak around better.’ Tom said, taking his backpack and taking out his shirt.   
I did the same, and we started towards the small town of Granges – Paccot.

We walked for about an hour we reached the small town and explored a bit. We found a chemist and a grocery store, but they were shut for the rest of the night. I stopped walking after a while and leaned against a wire fence and rested my head in my hands. Tom leaned next to me. ‘I know, I’m super tired too.’

‘Mmmm, I need sleep.’ I looked up from my hands, and looked around. A small building called BCF Arena, houses, lamppost. Wait, Arena?

‘Hey Tom? That’s a sports arena. They’d have showers in there, you think?’ I raised an eyebrow at Tom, and he shook his head. ‘No. I can do light fingered thievery, but this is breaking and entering, Iggy.’

‘Tom, do you want to stay dirty and smelly? ‘Cause, son, you smell bad and you still have dirt and grass in your hair.’ I said. Tom leaned forward and tussled his hair more, letting more dirt fall from his hair. ‘Same goes to you, Ig.’

I leaned forward too and ran my hands through my hair. ‘We must look like a pair of idiots.’ 

‘Yeah.’ Tom leaned back and looked at the indoor sporting arena and sighed. ‘A hot shower does sound really good right now.’ 

‘I agree.’ I said. I stood straight and observed the arena. There was a pair of stairs leading up to the big double doors inside, but underneath there was a green service door. Maybe there was an open window around the other side of the building.

‘Come with me dude. We’ll see if we can sneak in.’ I said. I crossed the road towards what seemed to be the truck delivery side of the left side of the arena and I saw another flight of stairs leading up into the building. Tom ran to stand beside me. ‘What are we looking for?’

‘We can’t enter the building through the doors. They’ll be monitored by cameras and security alarms. Give me a minute to see what we can do.’ I ran past the stairs and around the corner. Tom followed me eagerly. ‘How do you know all of this shit?’

‘I watched way too much TV when I was in hospital.’ I said. I peered around the corner of the building, and I saw an open window. I smiled. ‘I see a way in.’ I quickly took my backpack from my shoulders and ran towards the window, quickly shoved it through the window and heaved myself in. Tom helped me by using his hands to hold my foot as I climbed in. I fell in, landing on my side. ‘God damn!’

‘Are you okay?’ I heard Tom whisper loudly. 

‘Yeah, just be careful coming in.’ I said, standing up and stretching my back. I saw Tom jump up and start to pull himself in through the window. ‘Damn it’s small.’

I helped him in, and felt around the walls til I found a light switch and flipped it. We were in a change room. I smiled and dumped my backpack on a wooden bench and walked around the corner and found some showers. ‘Eureka! Hot showers coming up.’ 

‘Fabulous!’ Tom said. He started rummaging around in his backpack, whilst I started exploring more. There was a door opposite the window. I opened it to see a swimming pool in the darkness. ‘Yo, wanna go swimming?’

‘What?’ Tom asked, then peered over my shoulder. ‘Oh my God, even better than a shower.’

‘We can have one later. Let’ swim.’ I entered the swim room and looked around at the high ceilings and glass walls. I saw a life guard’s room and went inside. This was ridiculously easy; nothing was locked at all. After flicking on and off a few switches, I found the switch that turned on the swimming pools under water lights and that illuminated the room enough not to show outside someone was in here.   
Tom entered the room in his underpants, wings folded, and he took a running start and as he jumped he flapped his wings and rose about four meters in the air, then dived into the water. I laughed and clapped as I exited the life guard’s room. ‘Nice one! Ten outta ten!’ Tom’s head popped out from out of the water as I was clapping and gave me two thumbs up. ‘Get in here; the water’s nice!’   
I quickly stripped down to my underwear and did the same dive as Tom. It felt so good to be swimming again. I loved swimming as a kid, but I didn’t have much time between the hospital trips. Though the water did make my sunburn sting like a bitch, I braved it.

I swam up to the water’s surface and gulped in air. ‘Oh my God, this is awesome! Y’know, it feels even better than you remember because this is the first time we’ve swam with wings.’

‘Yeah, it’s a big harder to keep floating because they’re so heavy in the water.’ Tom said as he kicked in the water to stay afloat. ‘Yeah, but fuck this is so awesome!’ I said. I floated on my back and starred at the ceiling. It was painted white, with a few skylights to look out to the sky. I loved this, swimming again, and with Tom. 

‘Hey, are your arms and back okay?’ Tom asked. I stopped floating and looked at him. ‘Yeah, it hurt coming into the water, but I'm good.’

‘Good, hey do we have any food left?’ Tom asked. I realised I was super hungry. ‘I think we have something in the backpacks, I’m not sure. Maybe a few protein bars.’

‘We have some Swiss money, so we can go shopping tomorrow.’ Tom reminded me. I smiled. ‘I’d ask if you were really super hungry, and if so if you wanted to go and do some more breaking and entering into a local grocery store, but I think that would be better if we waited.’

‘Yeah, I think that would be better.’ Tom smiled. I smiled, then took a deep breath, closed my eyes and let myself sink under the water. I didn’t open my eyes, I was still afraid to open my eye underwater. I moved around in the water, using my wings to help me move around. When I rose back to the water’s surface, I had moved to the shallow end of the pool. I pointed at Tom and cackled. ‘Beat that, Hiddles!’

Tom took that as a challenge and disappeared under the water. I could see him move under the water towards me. He turned sideways and used his left wing as a shark fin and headed towards me. I laughed and started wading towards the edge of the pool. I quickly jumped out just as Tom blasted out of the water and tried to grab me, but I was too fast.

‘Naw, damn!’ Tom chuckled. I couldn’t stop laughing. ‘Dude, that shark thing was so funny!’

‘Thank you.’ Tom heaved himself out of the water and sat next to me. ‘Hey, I’ve been thinking about what type of wings we got, like what bird wings they look like.’

I eased out of laughing and pondered a little. ‘That’s a good point.’

‘I know which one you are.’ Tom said. 

‘Yeah?’ I looked at Tom. ‘Which one?’

‘Hawk. Your wings look like hawk wings.’ Tom said. I looked behind me at my wings and nodded. ‘Yeah, I think so.’

‘What bird do you think mine are?’ Tom asked. I looked at his white wings and giggled. ‘Goose.’

‘A goose?!’ Tom exclaimed. I laughed. ‘Yeah, a goose.’

‘Bloody goose.’ Tom shook his head. ‘How’s my goose impression?’ He flapped his hands around pointed his head up and started hissing. That was the end for me; I couldn’t stop laughing after that. I laughed so hard I was wheezing. Tom had to try and calm me down, but I that goose impression would stay with me forever.

‘Oh my God, dude,’ I dried my tears of laughter and looked at him. He had a cheesy smile. ‘What?’

‘I like hanging up with you. Doing stuff like this.’ Tom said.

‘You like breaking and entering with me?’ I asked.

Tom shook his head. ‘No, like just bonding. Being with you. It’s probably because we’ve been through so much together. Even though we’re on a mission from crazed scientists and the Swiss army, we’re making great memories.’

I nodded. ‘I remember back at the campsite, you tried your first s’more. That was fun.’

Tom groaned. ‘Oh my God, s’mores are so bloody good! As soon as we get home, s’mores galore! Oh, remember that time you thought those soldiers had found us, but it turned out to be a squirrel rustling the bushes?’

I frowned. ‘It was a huge squirrel! Its footsteps were heavy!’

Tom laughed. ‘Yeah, it was a fat squirrel.’ Then things started calming down. ‘I remember that first time we ever met.’

I nodded. ‘Yeah, I’ll always remember that.’ Then I shivered. ‘I never want to see another cage again. No more visits to the zoo for me.’

Tom nodded. ‘I understand that.’

I started thinking. ‘Tom, how are we going to get this across to people?’

Tom frowned at me. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, we need to tell people what those people at the base were doing. What if there were more people there, being experimented on? No one would listen to me, but you being an influential thought-to-be-dead public figure, people might listen to you.’ I started. ‘If we can maybe get in touch with a news station or something, and tell them our story, we can get people to notice what’s going on.’

Tom nodded on as I talked. ‘You’re right, but I’m not just doing this alone. If we’re to tell everyone what happened, it’s going to be you and me. You helped me get out of there, and taught me so much about being light fingered and avoiding the Swiss Cheese Army. We’re going to tell everyone what happened, and in full, from both sides of the story.’

I nodded, then giggled. ‘Dude, Swiss Cheese Army?’ Tom smiled. ‘You said Swiss Cheese Land once, I was inspired.’**

I smiled, then yawned. ‘I think hot showers all around, dinner, and sleep.’

‘We can’t sleep in here. We’ll have to find somewhere else to sleep in case we sleep in ad someone finds us.’ Tom said.

I nodded. ‘Yeah, you’re right. After showers, we’ll get outta here.’

So we had hot showers, for the first time in nearly a month, which I might just add, was fucking fantastic! Swiss water pressure is brilliant! Afterwards we ate the rest of our protein bars we packed, and exited out of the window again in search of a bed for the night. 

We walked for a little while down the main street. As I was walking, Tom yanked me, and we both fell into the bushes. 

‘What the fuck, man-‘ Tom covered my mouth and pointed over the small fence we tripped over. I peeked over the fence, and there was a Humvee parked outside with two soldiers talking Swiss to each other about a hundred metres away.

‘Shit, I didn’t see them!’ I hissed at myself. Tom started crawling through the bushes into someone’s garden. ‘C’mon, we have to get outta here!’

We commando crawled away from the main road, and jumped the fence into someone’s backyard. A backyard where three very small yappy dogs started going off at us.

‘Oh shit!’ Tom whispered as a light turned on in the house. ‘Run!’

We ran to the back of the yard and Tom helped me heave myself over the tall fence into someone else’s backyard. I helped him over as he fell and landed on top of me. 

‘You big yeti!’ I hissed. 

‘I’m sorry; c’mon!’ Tom rolled off of me, and lead me through another person’s backyard, over their fence, and then onto a small street. 

‘I have no idea where we are dude.’ I said as we jogged down the street. ‘We need to start flying and cross the border whilst it’s still dark. There’s no moon tonight, so it should be easy.’

‘Yeah, okay. Paris isn’t far from the border. We should be able to see it from the air.’ Tom said as he stopped and took off his shirt and stretched his wings. I did the same and stuffed my shirt into my backpack. Tom saw my back again. ‘We’ll be able to get you some sunscreen on Paris and some other things we need. We can get that Swiss francs converted to euros and spend it for food.’ Tom said as he strapped his backpack back on and I did the same. I nodded. ‘Sounds like a plan.’

And together, under the cover of night, we went back into the air and crossed the border into France.

 

**(A/N: Absolutely no offense to the people of Switzerland by those comments. Switzerland has the best milk chocolate EVER for anyone who doesn't know!)


	12. Chapter Twelve - Pain and Paris

Even though the air was cold, I could feel myself slowly falling asleep in the air. 

‘Iggy! Wake up!’ I heard Toms voice over the whistle of the wind going past my ears. My eyes slowly opened as I saw myself slowly drew falling towards the ground. I quickly clapped my wings and angled myself higher, so I was at the same level as Tom was flying.

‘You good?’ He asked over the noise of the wind. I shook my head as I rubbed my eyes and yawned. We had been flying for about an hour after lifting off from the sports centre, and the last time we slept was the camp site, around sixteen hours prior. I could see the first rays of sunrise to the east, slowly illuminating the rolling green hills of France.

‘We gotta land, or we'll fall asleep and fall.’ Tom called out. I nodded. ‘I kinda don't feel like being a feather pancake today.’

I looked ahead and saw a big city ahead, complete with the Eiffel Tower. The city of love and fine dining; Paris.

‘Let's stop at Paris. We can sleep and start across the Channel after sundown.’ I suggested. Tom smiled, and started his descent down towards the ground near the city's limits. I started to follow him, before I noticed something glinting in the trees we were headed towards. 

‘Tom...’ I started. Then I swooped down and pulled Tom by his wing to one side, just as a gun shot went off, and a bullet whizzed past Tom's head.

‘Dive away! Get down! I yelled, and arced right towards the sun, then vertically towards the ground, with Tom hot in my heels. Several gunshots went off and passed us, but only one hit its mark. As I opened my wings to prepare for landing, one of the bullets hit the joint between my shoulder blade and wing.

I screamed as the bullet tore its way through my muscles and chipped the bone in my wing. 

Iggy!’ Tom screamed as I started to fall faster towards the ground. I looked up to see him quickly angled himself toward the ground and folded his wings to gain velocity towards me. I reached out my hand towards him and he grabbed hold of my wrist and quickly arched horizontally, and folded to the ground.

Just as he arched up to land on the grass amongst some trees, my shoes skidded on the grass as I made contact on the ground, Tom let me go, and I fell to my knees, holding my left wing tightly to my back. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I whimpered and lowered myself to the ground and huddled into the fetus position. 

Tom landed a few feet away from me, and quickly ran to me and knelt by my side.

‘Oh God, Ig!’ Tom exclaimed as he lifted my head slowly and carefully as he pressed me against his body.

I shivered from the adrenaline and shock my body was going through. The pain was tremendously excruciating. I could see white dots and wavy colours dancing around my eyes. 

I looked up at Tom. ‘Since when were we in a Hitman movie?’ I stammered through the pain.

Tom didn't smile at my joke. ‘Where were you hit?’

I grimaced and yelled out as I slowly moved my wing away from my back to show Tom. The look on his face was one of pure terror. I couldn't twist myself around to see the damage, mainly because of the pain but also because he turned my head away. ‘Don't look...just don't.’

‘That means it's pretty bad, eh.’ I murmured as I cuddled up to his chest, absorbing his body heat.

‘Jesus, we need to get you to a doctor.’ Tom said.

‘Ehe, more like a vet.’ I chuckled, then groaned at the sharp pain of moving.

Tom looked around at the surroundings. "We're not too far away from the city limits; we gotta get you there before that sniper finds us.’

‘You can't carry me all that way...’ I yawned. Tom quickly scooped me up in his arms, carefully avoiding my left wing. ‘I think you're forgetting that I'm super strong.’ He opened his wings and started running forward. ‘I won't fly any higher than the trees. Hold on Igs.’

‘Igs...is that my new nickname?’ I slurred.

‘Hey, don't go to sleep on me! Stay awake, I know is hard.’ The sound of worry in Tom's voice told me that this was serious. Possibly life ending serious.

I held my wings against my back as Tom took to the air just above the trees. I wrapped my arms around his neck and rested my head on his shoulder. 

It seems obvious now, but I really forgot about the whole solders-have-guns thing.


	13. Chapter Thirteen - Lots of Time Lost (Part One)

I looked towards the Channel, trying to estimate how long it would take to get across the sea and into London, and how the hell he was supposed to get someone to help Iggy when we got there. It would take at least over an hour, and the wind wasn’t in my favour. We needed help desperately, and I couldn’t see any alternative than this.

I ran my hands through my hair and looked behind me, where Iggy laid unconscious against the wall. I had flown into an empty lighthouse just on the coast of France, to rest and to possibly help Iggy. I had left Iggy here and gone into town quickly with the rest of the money we had to get a few things, like dental floss, a needle, a pair of tweezers, and a cheap burner phone. I stitched Iggy up as best I could, but I’m no expert surgeon. But the burner phone…if I could call someone in London, but they would never believe me…I had to try.

I sat down next to Iggy, making sure she was breathing, and started dialling. ‘Hope to God he still has the same number.’

RING ‘C’mon...’

RING ‘Pick up!’

RING *click* ‘Hello?’

‘Ben? Ben is that you?’ My heart jumped with happiness. ‘Wow, you still sound the same.’

‘Who is…wait…you sound familiar.’ Benedict Cumberbatch’s suddenly nervous voice came through the phone.

‘You’re not going to believe me, but it’s Tom.’

‘…yeah, you’re right, I don’t believe you. Is this a fan?’

‘No! Ben, it’s me! I, uh, we got drunk on St. Patrick’s Day at your house, and I accidentally broke an expensive crystal wine glass your mother gave you.’ Tom rubbed his eyes, hoping that Ben would believe him.

‘…No one knows about that apart from me and…he’s dead.’

‘No, kidnapped, not dead. Listen I don’t have a lot of time right now; I’m on my way to you, but there’s a small army behind me, and my friend is hurt badly. I’m preparing to fly over the Channel as we speak.’

‘Army? Kidnapped? Your friend is hurt? What happened?’ Ben’s voice sounded worried. 

I looked over at Iggy, trying to think of a description of her injuries without trying to sound nuts. ‘She got grazed badly by a bullet. We’ve literally been dodging bullets for a while now. Ben, we can’t go to the police, or the hospital. We were kidnapped and taken to Switzerland, and we’re probably being described as terrorists or something.’ I stood to look at the horizon. ‘Look, it’s starting to get dark enough for me to start over the Channel; are you still friends with that veterinarian, and is there someplace I can meet you that isn’t populated?’

‘I, uh, yeah, Morgan and I still catch up, and remember the park where you had that street hotdog and threw up? It’s usually closed at night, but I can probably get in.’   
I could hear Ben scurrying around on the other end. ‘Did you want me to call her? What else did you need?’

‘Yeah, tell her to meet you at your house. But Ben,’ I took a deep breath. ‘No one, but you and this Morgan, can know about us. Some weird shit has happened these past three years.’

‘Tell me about it; I got married.’

‘Wait, for real?’ I smiled. ‘Dude, I’ll give you my congrats when I see you later on tonight. I estimate about midnight I’ll get there.’

‘I’ll meet you at the west gate…Tom, I…can’t wait to see you, and hear your excuse for missing my wedding.’ Ben chuckled.

A tear escaped from my eye, and I quickly wiped it away and sniffed. ‘You can ask me all the questions you want. See you tonight.’

‘See you tonight.’ *click*

I sighed and closed my eyes, savouring the amazing feeling it was to hear my old friend again. I dropped the burner phone and smashed it with the heel of my shoe against the wooden phone. I let my wings unfold a little and quickly slipped on my backpack and Iggy’s, then gently picked her up and kicked open the door to the balcony wrapping around the lighthouse, the late evening air made my skin break out on goose bumps. The sea wind messed with mine and Iggy’s hair as I braced myself and jumped onto the railing and opened my wings out as far as they could, feeling the air pass through my feathers, then prepared for the trip over the Channel to London.

Back home, after so long.


	14. Chapter Fourteen - Lots of Time Lost (Part Two)

I slowly glided over the streets of my home town London, looking for the park I agreed to meet Ben. My wings ached and my back felt like it was going to break. Iggy was slowly getting heavier, even with the advanced super strength the scientists gave us. The cold air made my eyes sting and I couldn’t feel my face. I don’t think flying over two countries and a busy shipping channel in one night was an energy saver.

I could see my breath go past me as I panted. Iggy was shivering in my arms, so I held her closer to me. I arched down more towards the ground to see the park Ben and I talked about, folded my wings and started my descent. 

Just before the grassy parkland came up to slap me in the face, I snapped my wings open and swerved up, skidding to a stop with my feet. The park was dark and lonely; I could barely see the iron fence off in the distance. I quickly ran towards the cover of a few tall oak trees and set Iggy down against the trunk of one. ‘I’m just going to find the gate, and I’ll be back.’ Iggy didn’t even stir at my words, which made me even more scared. I dropped our backpacks next to her and quickly looked around me. I came from the south east, so the way I was flying before was west. I quickly started running west, and it wasn’t long til I found the western fence and followed it towards the gate. 

I quickly erupted from the trees and nearly tripped on the cobblestone pathway, stumbling a little. ‘Shit!’ I flexed my ankle a little.

‘Tom?’ I heard a voice behind me, and quickly turned around to see my friend Ben, pressing his face against the iron bars on the other side of a tall chained gate, with a sleek black car behind him.

‘Oh my God Ben!’ I quickly ran to the gate with a huge grin on my face. Ben smiled with tears coming down his face and he pushed his hand through the bars to grab my shoulder. ‘Holy shit, it’s really you!’ 

‘Yeah, I think I’m a little too tan now to be a ghost.’ I joked as I held onto Ben’s hand tightly. Ben frowned. ‘Why are you shirtless?’

I chuckled. ‘Long story; one I’ll happily tell you once were outta here.’

‘The entire world was told that you died in a car crash…’ Ben sniffed. I nodded. ‘I can’t understand what you’ve been feeling for these past three years man, but I’m so sorry. I and my friend Iggy were held against our will for so long I didn’t even know how much time past.’

‘Your friend, you said she was hurt?’ Ben asked. I nodded and started walking backwards. ‘I’ll go get her. Get the car ready!’ I quickly turned and started running to where I left Iggy. 

I quickly ran to Iggy and scooped her up, then jogged back to the gate where Ben had the car running.  
‘Dude, I didn’t think to grab bolt cutters. I’m not exactly a criminal mastermind.’ I walked back from the gate and gave myself enough of an estimated running start. ‘Watch this.’ I called out to Ben, and he gave me a weird look. I started running towards the gate, and snapped my wings out and with one hard thrust, as Iggy taught me so long ago, I glided over the tall iron gate and landed next to the car and a bewildered Benedict.

‘What the fuck dude?!’ Ben’s jaw was wide open at the sight of my dirty white wings.

‘That’s what they did to me and Iggy, amongst other things.’ I said, folding them against my back. ‘Is Morgan at yours?’

‘Yeah, she just texted. Get in the back and lets go.’ Ben opened the back passenger door for me and I slid in with Iggy on my lap, shoving our backpacks on the floor of the car.

It was really good to see Ben again.

~

‘Okay, so what the actual fuck is going on Tom?’ Ben asked me as I sat down in his living room watching Morgan the veterinarian start cutting Iggy’s homemade stitches. After the shock of seeing someone with wings and a guy presumed to be dead for the past three years, she started helping Iggy, who was still unconscious. She was on her right side with blankets and hot water bottles warming her as she laid on Ben’s dining room table.

‘Both Iggy and I were kidnapped, for some strange reason, and taken to Switzerland,’ I started yawning and rubbing my eyes. ‘They operated on us, experimented, and then stitched on home-grown wings.’ Ben’s face was the visual meaning of gobsmacked. I smiled weakly. ‘You don’t believe me, do you?’

‘After seeing my dead best friend fly over a gate with wings, I think I can just believe anything at this point.’ Ben sat down next to me, leaning back against the couch. ‘It’s either scientific experimentation, or you’re an angel.’ Both Ben and I chuckled. ‘Nah man, I’m too dirty to be an angel.’

‘There’s a bathroom there.’ Ben pointed at the door directly in front of the lounge room. ‘Extra towels, shampoo, and decent water pressure. Help yourself.’   
I looked over at Iggy, not wanting to leave her side. ‘I don’t-‘

‘She’ll be fine.’ Ben comforted. ‘She’s in good hands. Go get yourself cleaned up.’

I slowly stood up and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I looked at the shower, not realising how much I missed them, and quickly stripped down and started the hot water.

Don’t worry, I made sure to clean under my wings.


	15. Chapter Fifteen - A New Genetic Discovery

I sat on a chair, elbows propped up on the dining room table Iggy still laid on unconscious, with my head in my hands as dawn broke over London. My still-damp hair dripped water down my neck, bare back and the part where my wings started. I tried to get some sleep, but worrying about Iggy kept me awake, and added more darkness to my under-eye circles. 

‘Tom…’ Ben said softly, placing his hand on my left shoulder. I jerked my head out of my hands and blinked a few times to correct my vision. Ben stood over me with a clean shirt and jeans over his arm and a cup of coffee. ‘Take these; you’re super cold.’

I stood, pushing the chair back, making it screech against the floor a little, and took the coffee from Ben as he placed the clothes on the table next to Iggy. ‘Drink that, then we’ll move Iggy to the spare bedroom; she’ll be a bit more comfortable on a bed than a table. Plus Sophie will be up in a few hours, and I’m sure she doesn’t need to know anything about this.’

I smiled and took a sip of the coffee, closing my eyes and savouring the taste of the hot drink.’

‘How long has it been since you’ve had coffee?’ Ben asked. I sighed and opened my eyes to look at him. ‘A while, like a few years.’

Ben cringed. ‘I can’t go without coffee for one day let alone years.’ I smiled and placed the cup down, and grabbed the shirt. 

‘Hang on…’ Ben said before I could get my arms into the shirt. I looked at Ben with curiosity. Ben took a deep breath and signalled Tom to put the shirt down. I frowned and did so, then stood in front of him bare chested. 

‘You’re right; you’re too tanned to be a ghost.’ Ben smiled. I smiled back, then Ben looked over my shoulder. ‘Can...I?’

‘Can you what?’ I asked. Ben raised his eyebrow. ‘Dude, you have wings. Could I touch them?’

I chuckled. ‘I honestly sometimes forget that they’re on my back.’ I turned my back and folded wings to Ben. ‘Knock yourself out.’

I heard Ben take a deep breath. I turned my head to look over my shoulder and unfolded my wings a little, stretching my muscles and fluffing my feathers. ‘Don’t yank out any of my feathers.’ I joked and Ben chuckled. 

I felt gently fingers touch the base of my right wing, which made my muscles twitch a little. He traced the top of my wing along the bend and down towards where the primary feathers were. I suddenly realised, no one has ever touched my wings before. The feeling of Ben’s fingers on my freshly cleaned feathers made me suddenly feel both nervous and excited.

Ben then traced his fingers back to the beginning of his wing, and ran his hand gently through his feathers, making my eyes roll to the back of my head and groan a little. 

‘Are you okay?’ Ben asked, suddenly stopping his hand. I opened my eyes and cleared my throat. ‘N-no, no, I-uh-well…I’m sorry…no one’s touched them before.’ I explained. ‘You…that feels fucking amazing.’

I felt Ben’s hand tense up for a second with his fingers still mixed with my wings. I suddenly realised that I may have crossed a line, telling Ben he made him feel “fucking amazing”.

Then suddenly, Ben ran his left hand through my left wings’ feathers and gripped gently. My wings felt like they were vibrating with electricity, waves of intense pleasure caused a muscle spasm, making my eyes widened and my mouth open, but no words came out. I could feel my crotch area tighten; my back arched by its own accord, and my head fell back onto Ben’s shoulder, pressing my back and wings against Ben’s chest and front torso.

‘D-did you just have an orgasm? Ben whispered into my ear, practically holding me up by pressing his body against mine. I felt his head look over my shoulder to look down at my obvious erection.

I tried to catch my breath. ‘Um…I-I uh…’ I tried to speak, but my brain couldn’t form a proper sentence after the incredible experience my body just went through.   
‘Good.’ Ben murmured, then curled his fingers in my feathers and started rubbing his palms against my wings. I closed my eyes and groaned, my legs giving way from under me. Ben slid to the ground with me, still with handfuls of my feathers.


	16. Chapter Sixteen - Wings of Pleasure and Betrayal

I slowly opened my eyes, groaning from the soreness in my body I suddenly realised upon waking. I winced at the brightness and shielded my eyes and propped myself up with my other arm. ‘Where the fuck am…’ I observed my surroundings; a pretty rich-looking house lit by the rays of dawn. And I was laying on a table…why am I on a table…and why am I wearing a man’s sized shirt?

I hissed at the sudden sharp pain at the base of my wing. I used my hand to reach over my shoulder and feel some stitches where I was shot…wait a sec…I was FUCKING SHOT?! Where the fuck am I?

I suddenly came aware of panting and moaning distracted me from my thoughts. I whipped my head towards the open-plan lounge room where the noise came from, and gently slid off the table. More smaller moans and panting erupted from behind the couch, accompanied with quickening skin slapping.   
‘Oh Ben…’ I heard a familiar voice groan. I suddenly realise what was going on when Tom and Ben’s heads rise up from behind the couch, Tom obviously in the receiving end of this sudden sex scene.

‘Jesus, guys!’ I cried out, shielding my eyes from seeing my friend and his best friend fucking each other. Tom and Ben’s heads snapped to look at me, then quickly parted from each other and scrambled for their clothes that laid strewed around the room.

‘Iggy! Y-you’re awake!’ Tom cried out, surprised and out of breath. Ben quickly stood and grabbed his shirt, using it to cover his junk. I couldn’t help but notice that he had a gold wedding band on his ring finger. ‘I-Iggy! Hello, how are you?’

‘Both surprised and slightly disgusted, thanks!’ I fake smiled and placed my hands on my hips. ‘Y’know, Tom I’m super happy that one of us is getting some, but did you have to whilst I was knocked out on a freaking table, in THE SAME ROOM?!’

Tom quickly zipped his pants and pulled his shirt on, and turned to face his friend. ‘Iggy…you were out for hours!’

‘And by the looks of it you were at it for hours!’ I commented. I waved my hands in an effort to change the subject. ‘What the heck happened? Where are we?’

Tom located Ben’s trousers and handed them to him, and quickly jogged around the couch and bear hugged his best friend, avoiding her stitches. Iggy smiled and hugged her friend back, noting that he was sweating, like a lot.

‘Iggy, um, I’m sorry…’ I heard Ben say, making his way around the couch. Tom ended his embrace with me and turned to Ben, taking a chance to obviously check him out.

I shrugged. ‘There really isn’t anything to be sorry about; you’re obviously helping us, and definitely helping Tommy Boy over here…’ I turned my head to Tom and winked. Tom blushed and looked down and Ben smiled. I crossed my arms. ‘But one thing, or actually a few things; how, who, when, what and why?’ 

Tom chuckled. ‘I flew us here overnight; called Ben on a burner phone and got a friend who’s a vet to stitch you up; you’ve been out for at least twenty-hour hours; and because you were shot and bleeding out.’

‘Honestly that sounds like a typical cliché action film…’ I commented. I looked from Ben to Tom; from Tom to Ben, and smiled. ‘So…when did this little bromance become sexual?’ 

Both Ben and Tom chuckled and looked at each other with amazing sexual tension, obviously eager to finish what they started. ‘Well, Iggs…’ Tom started. ‘It turns out our wings are more sensitive than we thought.’

I frowned. ‘Do they now have some kind of special gay-dar? Do they come with a free coffee machine?’

Tom blushed again. ‘When you touch then in the right places…they can make you orgasm.’

I knew my face delivered the exact expression of “gobsmacked” when Tom said the word “orgasm”. ‘S-so, like, you two…Benedict Cumberbatch, did you wing-grope my bestie?’

Ben chuckled and ran a hand through his hair, obviously nervous from the question. ‘A few times, maybe. Serves him right for biting my shoulder so hard when we climaxed.’

‘Benedict?’ A small voice called out from behind the actor. Ben, Tom and I turned to see a woman dressed in a nightie, obviously listening in to their conversation.   
Ben’s smile dropped, and by the obvious diamond wedding ring on her ring finger, I knew the marital penny in the air had dropped. 

‘Soph, I-I…this isn’t what you think!’ Ben tried hopelessly to explain. The woman I knew then to be called Sophie raised her hands to her face in both surprise and hurt. ‘Ben…’ She turned to see Tom and I. ‘Oh goodness, Tom…you’re alive!’ 

Tom smile weakly. ‘Hello there…’ I cringed at this very obvious divorce in-the-making. 

‘Sophie, let me explain…’ Ben started, but Sophie raised her hand to silence him.

(A/N: Please note, I have the utmost respect for Sophie, I really do. This is just how the story came to me as I was writing it.)

‘I’ve bene listening in enough to understand what is happening here.’ Sophie began. ‘I heard your friend over there yell out, so I thought I’d come down and see what was a matter,’ I could see Sophie’s eyes starting to water. ‘But I see you and Tom, who is supposed to be dead, obviously have been fucking in our living room!’ Her voice grew louder with each word.

I gently nudged Tom. ‘Maybe we should leave-‘

‘You aren’t going anywhere!’ Sophie yelled. ‘What the fuck is going on?!’ 

‘You really wanna know?!’ I yelled. Both Tom and Ben turned to me with surprise. I took a very deep breath. ‘I have been kidnapped, experimented on, electrocuted with a cow prod, cut up, injected, been shot at AND grazed, and my gorgeous now obviously curiously bisexual best-friend Thomas here has gone through the exact same torture. We are currently being chased after in an international manhunt because we’re escaped bird-spliced freaks from a military lab in Switzerland and our now mutual friend Ben over here had agreed to help Tom whilst I was incapacitated. Obviously some pent-up sexual tension made these two fuck-bunnies go at it whilst I was practically dead to the world on your dining table ‘cause who hasn’t thought about having sex with their best friend after they came back to the world of the living after being “dead” for the past few years?’

The room was silent, apart from the soft chirps of waking birds outside. Ben looked amazed, Tom was confused, and Sophie had her hands on her hips with an angry expression. Tom gulped and slowly turned to Ben and Sophie, and smiled weakly. ‘She’s not lying, y’know.’

Sophie huffed and shook her head, obviously not believing my very true story. She put her hands up in a defensive way and stepped back. ‘Y’know what? Forget it, just forget it.’ She took another step back, obviously headed towards the front door. ‘I’ll just leave. You don’t want to tell me the truth, so I’ll just leave you and your dead-now-alive gay lover and your story-spinning friend here to have some threesome orgy or WHATEVER!’ Sophie turned and grabbed car keys from a bowl next to the front door, and slammed it behind her.

Ben paused for a few seconds in amazement, then quickly ran out the door after his fleeing wife. ‘Sophie, COME BACK!’

‘Aaaaand that’s put a dampener on things…’ I commented, making Tom look at me distastefully. I frowned. ‘What?’

‘”Obviously curiously bisexual best-friend”?’ Tom quoted, crossing his arms. I shrugged and smiled. ‘Why not? Every girl needs one.’


End file.
